What are the risks of filesharing?

Whether you download music or podcasts from a Web site, upload pictures to an online storage site, or get the latest headlines and podcasts via RSS feeds, you leave your computer wide open. Your personal information, music, and photos are vulnerable to destructive viruses and hackers.

What can I do to protect myself when I share files?

Here are a few basic practices we recommend to help you protect your files and secure your computer:

• Download and share music legally and safely. There are a growing number of online music and movie services, where you can stream, download, or purchase digital files with the copyright owners' permission.
• Protect the quality of your pictures. If you store pictures online, read the privacy agreement to see what kind of information the site shares, and how they protect your private information. If you store pictures on your hard drive, consider putting them behind a partition to help protect your files if your operating system crashes.
• Use a personal firewall, antivirus software, and an anti-spyware tool to protect your data from hackers.
• If you use a file-sharing program, be sure to turn it on turn only to update files. File-sharing clients are designed to be left running, and continually broadcast your online presence. That makes your computer–along with any vulnerabilities–easy for a hacker or worm to find.
• Back up important files on an external storage device or a CD-R disc before sharing or downloading files.

Where can I learn more about filesharing?

Right here at Club Symantec. Visit our article "Share with Others–on Your Terms." It explains in more detail how to share files safely and protect your computer from hackers and viruses.

Does Symantec have any products that can protect my files and secure my computer?

Yes we do. Norton Internet Security 2006 is Symantec's most robust product that can help the fight against identity theft. It offers comprehensive protection from bogus emails, hackers, and destructive viruses. Norton PartitionMagicâ„¢ lets you separate your operating system, applications, documents, music, photos, games, and backup files to reduce the risk of data loss if your system crashes.