How to Use Torrent and Avoid Legal and Security Risks That Come With It

The torrenting protocol is hugely beneficial in enabling the transfer of large data structures to many people at incredible speeds. However, there could be many cybersecurity risks of downloading files from Torrent without conducting prior checks. Ruth C, Cybersecurity researcher and publisher at Atlas VPN, explains how to use Torrent safely and securely and how to get the best out of the platform.

We’ve all heard it before. Sometimes, communities tend to proclaim a certain technology “dead” all too soon. A lot of prophesying headlines fail to look at the bigger picture. Popular streaming services were supposed to box out torrents. In reality, quite the opposite happened. To no great surprise, we’ve seen a resurgence of piracy in the last few years because of subscription-based content that is exclusive to the platforms. However, torrents have utility outside piracy waters, which poses the question, what is torrenting anyway? What about legality? Is it safe? 

Torrent Without the Abhorrent

The torrenting protocol is a decentralized distribution of files between the users of the network. This technology doesn’t rely on a single key-user hosting the file we need. It’s an approach that solves the overloading of a given server and gives us the option of pausing or continuing our download whenever we wish to do so. 

A P2P(peer-to-peer) file-sharing means that each user(peer) essentially acts as a mini-server. There are two players in the game we call torrenting. The seeders are the users that already have their files downloaded locally and share them with the leechers, on the receiving end. The files are broken down into little chunks, and once the leechers have received the complete structure, they become seeders themselves. The more popular the Torrent, the faster the download will proceed.

Learn More: How To Avert SaaS Data Leaks With an Intelligent Data Protection Strategy

Legality and Security

Before dwelling on security, we must address the legal side of torrenting. The technology in its core is perfectly legal. There’s no debate about it. As long as the material available for download doesn’t infringe the creator’s rights, it’s perfectly fine. Nevertheless, determining the origins of the content is a bit of a gray area, so some countries choose to forbid the use of torrenting clients altogether. 

Here’s an imageOpens a new window of the regulations in multiple countries. One may have the urge to navigate forbidden waters or find a book for public use, but we must be aware of the repercussions. In many countries, you may end up paying a hefty fine or even imprisonment, depending on the policy, of course.

If you want to download files via torrenting clients in forbidden territory, a good workaround is to use a proper VPN. Also, as a peer, your device information is shared between the network, leaving you vulnerable. The extra encryption layer alongside your anti-virus will also protect you from malware, hacks, and viruses. I would highly recommend using AtlasVPN.Opens a new window It offers a no-log policy and multiple servers to choose from. Keep in mind that the server’s proximity is essential, as you wouldn’t want to wait for an eternity.

Sometimes a story can depict what mere explanations fail to do. It was a casual workday in a not so different workweek. I needed to download freeware software that would’ve solved many of the issues I had at the time. I turned to torrents. With a bit of research, I managed to find a couple of links to choose from. Without much thought, I downloaded the one with most seeders and leechers, and I thought, that’s it, my troubles are over. But things went haywire as soon as the download finished. 

Enter chaos. My PC started overheating, there was a heap of pop-ups, and I couldn’t do a single thing. So, what happened? It’s simple. I skipped reading the comment section.

After multiple videos, I cleaned my PC from all the viruses, malware, and spyware lurked in my registries. It took me a while, and it was painful. The takeaway from this is always to read the comment section of the torrent you choose to download. The community will tell you how healthy the Torrent is. That is the first measure that we must take before downloading.

Let’s face it. The most common use of torrents is piracy. People like to watch movies free of charge. It’s blasphemous that this is the only label torrenting gets. The decentralized protocol allows large data structures to be shared and distributed to many users with great speed. Gaming companies like Blizzard practically use a built-in torrent client that does the work for you every time a significant update rolls out.

Other entities that benefit from the distribution of large data structures and actively use this technology are:

• Social media (Facebook and Twitter use BitTorrent)
• Government bodies
• Large online archives
• Distribution of public-domain media such as music and video (saves a lot of bandwidth)

Learn More: Recoverware: A New Vision for Managing Enterprise Risk

Conclusion

Torrenting is well and alive. Peer-to-peer technology offers a lot of possibilities as it can be both disruptive and useful. I would advise you to join a community group if you want to find more detailed guidelines. A good place to start is Reddit. Not only will you learn a lot, but you will ultimately be more prepared and cautious. Clenching your curiosity might lead to temptations. What will come of those temptations?

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