I have asked this question various places and have gotten no answers.
Google searches do not reveal anything. Perhaps someone here knows the
answer--if there is an answer.
I want to know if the use of Torrent (BitTorrent, UTorrent, etc) clients
exposes one to a severe security risk. As I understand the newbie
explanations I have read, torrent clients break up a requested torrent file
into "pieces" and various peers (other computers) send you pieces of the
requested file. Your torrent program collects and "assembles" the pieces
and you have the completed file. In turn, you have to leave your computer
"open" to others so the torrent program can share "pieces" of the file on
your computer with others.
Thus my question: with your computer being "open" to all those using torrent
clients, are you at risk of a hack attack on the other private data on your
computer? A related question is: can you be more (totally?) secure if you
devote one computer on your home network to torrent collection and do not
have sharing on for any of the other computers on your network--sort of
isolating the torrent-collecting computer?
I am interested in all of this because more and more legitimate, legal
material is being shared over the net via torrent downloads. I would like
to avail myself of some of this legal content but do not yet understand the
risks.
Any comments?
Thanks,
Ken
