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Sounds good right? Maybe too good to be true? That’s probably because it is.

There’s a new trend in the world of the technologically savvy, and it’s called peer-to-peer software. P2P, as it’s called, is a way for computer users to download software, music and movies over the internet from other users’ servers.

The danger comes in when unwary users aren’t careful. Some P2P sites offer downloads which are actually trojan horses for a plethora of viruses.

This is not to say all P2P sites are run by hackers. The rapidly growing Web browser, Mozilla Firefox is just one example of open source technology which has proved beneficial.

We at The BG News would just like to stress the importance of being a smart, safe and informed internet user.

Not just with P2P sites. Anytime you download something on to your computer, you risk getting a virus. And we’re not just talking those viruses which slow down your computer and forces you to call RCC.

In recent years more and more viruses are of the “Trojan horse” variety. These viruses can infest your computer allowing hackers to obtain your personal information and record keystrokes which can reveal everything from passwords to credit card numbers.

According to AssociatedContent.com, most virus protection programs can now detect Trojan viruses, but without virus protection, they can run continuously in the background and are almost impossible to get rid of.

This is why students need to protect themselves. With the amount of information we plug into our computers it’s imperative we all try to be the most educated we can about the security issues facing us.

One way students can stay informed is by visiting the site StopBadware.org, an organization run by Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet ‘ Society and Oxford University’s Oxford Internet Institute. They have come together to identify downloads which are dangerous, and collect that information for those who need it most: computer users.