How to safely use Limewire?

[jordannnnnn]

I'm looking for whatever information I can get about preventing Viruses while using Limewire.

I currently use the following for protection:

Malwarebytes

Avast

Sygate Personal Firewall

KeyScrambler

Mozilla Firefox w/ no script extension

What's the best way to stay protected and/or avoid downloading files that have viruses??

[exile360]

Greetings

Unfortunately there's no 100% secure method for using a peer-to-peer program such as LimeWire . The hard truth is that you're allowing direct remote access to your system from outside sources over an insecure connection, thus allowing it to completely bypass your firewall. You're also downloading data which is executable (yes, even music, pictures and videos contain executable code which can be malicious) which hasn't been checked by any trustworthy source to be determined safe. Downloading software is certainly the most risky, as it would be the easiest thing to hide something such as a trojan in, but it goes much deeper than that, especially when dealing with file infectors such as Virut and Sality. I've seen too many cases where a user was helped to get their system cleaned up after being infected using P2P software only to return infected once more from using the same software again . It's just far too easy to be infected and I don't know of any truly secure way to go about it, although I will admit that I did use it myself in the past, but not very often. After investigating it myself quite a bit and learning all I could about being "safe" while using it, I found the same answer that I just gave you: there is no truly safe or effective means to use it and avoid getting hit, it's Russian Roullette and only a matter of time. Then of course, as I'm sure you're quite aware, there's the legal issue. Regardless of how you feel or what excuses may be used (yes, I know, data is data and it's just 1's and 0's), someone put in a lot of time, work and money into what they've created and they're only trying to make a living at what they're doing just like everybody else, and stealing their work to avoid having to pay for it doesn't do anyone any good except yourself and can hurt those whose work you like so much that you don't find it worth paying for, but certainly worth risking infecting your computer for.

Sorry for the rant, and I'm sure you've heard all this "preachy" stuff before, but I posted it for the sake of yourself as well as anyone else who should come across this thread in case they weren't aware or weren't clear on the reality of the situation.

You might also find this link quite informative.

[mountaintree16]

jordannnnnn:

I back up exactly what Exile just said, it's just not safe. I admit I too used it in the past. I stopped using it more than two years ago because I felt bad about what I was doing, and I couldn't justify it any longer. I only downloaded songs here and there, not a large number, but that really isn't the point.

I didn't even know until early on this year that it is a very likely source of infection for computers, and that is the second reason I will never ever use a program like LimeWire ever again, and I urge anyone that I find out who uses one to please, please get rid of it.

Personal example of an infection: My friend downloaded a song using LimeWire, the song didn't even work, her McAfee alerted her to an infection, and thankfully I was there that day or the day after this happened, and I downloaded Malwarebytes, and presto! infection gone. Thankfully it wasn't any of the supernasties that you can find on these filesharing programs...

As a side note, when replying, please either use the "Add Reply" button at the bottom of the page or erase what the person before you said prior to posting as this makes the forum easier to read. Just address people as @username or username:

And Exile, thanks for that link. I've seen it posted here before, but I could not find it again. I want to show it to a few people