Sharing of files across internet is a common thing ever since the downloading of software came into foray. File sharing through a dozen of pirated mills and a number of networking sites like LimeWire, iMesh, Morpheus, eDonkey, Gnutella have become a common trend. Sites like these on the internet account for thousands of illegally downloaded movies, games, software and music files. The impact of these sharing and downloading through internet is huge. The entire process not only hampers the computer systems but also infects the networks with malware, spyware and backdoor left ajar for potential hackers.



Despite continuing lawsuits against downloaders by concerned authorities, MP3 downloads remain the biggest draw in downloading. Through file sharing and P2P exhanges, a computer user can find just about anything. A number of software packages on P2P networks are often cracked. It has to be noted that, not all free software downloads are free from risks.

Most common byproduct of a file sharing activity is the spyware. Most of the downloaders are not even aware of how easily their computers can be attacked by spywares. They share whatever is available on the hard drive and the network. The situation becomes even grimmer when the spyware enters the workplace. Most of these spywares can easily track a users activity, the file locations and can even capture the passwords. These sensitive information, both at personal and corporate levels can then be easily transferred to the servers of hackers, spammers and mass marketers. The final impact can be very dangerous, if this happens.

According to few sources, upto 70% of all employees at businesses are using free messaging services without any direct consent from the company. The danger lies in the fact that most of these services give an opportunity to default users to access the computer data directly. Most of these employees can easily be manipulated and expose the corporate networks to risks.

Employees at workplace are often tempted to misuse the high speed internet connections in downloading all possible files. This not only compromises the security of the network but also can create legal liabilities to the company. Most companies are not even aware of the software license terms and conditions. Infractions created by workers through file sharing can prove very costly to their employers. However, the situation is fast changing. The companies are slowly understanding the impacts of these file sharing on their businesses and are becoming vigilant. Apreo's SmartSearch and FaceTime's RTG500 are two network devices often employed to deliver a complete, non stop protection from unauthorized file sharing. These software employ signature identification mechanisms to combat file sharing.