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HOME articles Advantages of VoIP A Comparison of Different VOIP Companies Internet phone call hardware Skype – Making Calls from your PC, for free! Internet phone calls – what may go wrong? Can spies eavesdrop on your phone calls over the Internet? Internet phone calls – brings people together What are Internet phone calls? Chatting with strangers – over the Internet Further Articles Wireless Articles: 10 Steps to Install a PCI Wireless Card 5 Reasons Why You Need a Wireless Network 5 Things You Must Do Before You Buy Any Wireless Equipment Ad-hoc or Access Point. Network Structures Explained Bluetooth - Personal Wireless Confused Yet - Wireless Jargon Connecting to a Wired Network - Wireless Access Points Could You Already Have Wireless and Not Realise It Create Always-On Networks with a Wireless Router Dealing with Security Threats - Wireless Encryption Fighting with Windows - Getting Wireless Set Up How Do Wireless Networks Work Ports and Cards - How to Tell What You Need RFID - Wireless Shopping Sharing an Internet Connection over a Wireless Network Sharing Your Files and Folders Wirelessly Taking it Long-Distance - Wireless Extension Points The Future of Wireless Wardriving and the Wireless Pirates What Else Can You Do Over a Wireless Network What is Wireless Networking What to Look For - Range, Speed and Standards Wireless Alphabet Soup - What's the Difference Anyway Wireless Everywhere - Talking Your Laptop for a Walk Wireless Troubleshooting - 5 Things to Try	The Dangers of Peer-to-Peer Systems Peer-to-Peer (P2P) systems do not operate on secure lines, thus providing a conduit for hackers to enter a network or computer, access personal and confidential information, as well as deploy viruses or worms. Users of P2P systems are prime targets and/or launching points for malicious hacker attacks simply because it requires downloading and sharing electronic files or programs, not to mention usage on publicly open and interpretable industry standard protocols and industry standard codec. A Staff Report submitted by the Government Reform Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives (May 2003), entitled File-Sharing Programs and Peer-to-Peer Networks Privacy and Security Risks, stated that users of these programs have inadvertently made their personal information available to other users. A search of one P2P network found at least 2,500 Microsoft Money backup files, which stores the users personal financial records, available for download. Personal information includes tax returns containing you name, address, and social security numbers of not only you, but your spouse and dependents, financial information such as income and investments, medical records, business files such as contracts and personnel evaluations, and attorney-client communications, to name a few. Spyware and adware programs are frequently bundled into P2P file-sharing software. These programs collect personal information for marketers and provide access to your computer by malicious hackers. In an article located on Vnunet.com entitled Users Fume at Grokster Drive-by Download, these two programs can redirect a users homepage to a different website, install a new browser toolbar, insert entries into the users browser bookmark list, reinstall itself after uninstallation, and ultimately crash a users system. Another grave concern for both individuals and businesses when using P2P software is unknowingly having your computer used as a supernode. A supernode occurs when your computer is arbitrarily assigned as a hub. When you are running the software for P2P services, your computers disk space, bandwidth, and processing power are used to help other users on the same system operate their software more efficiently because of their own network or firewall constraints. Not only can this overload systems or networks with excessive data, disk space, and network bandwidth, unscrupulous hackers can also insert arbitrary code in each supernodes address space or crash all supernodes. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) systems such as Skype operate by taking bandwidth (information carrying capacity) from customers on their service to assist other customers using their service - analogous to a symbiotic relationship. The tools that enable them to accomplish this are bundled in the software their customers download to access their VoIP service. By Dee Scrip All rights reserved. Dee Scrip About the Author The above information is an excerpt taken from an in-depth and exclusive Report entitled Why Hackers Love Computer Phones A Shocking Report You Must Read! available only at http://www.whypay4calls.com/gtp/to.pl?l=ART-02 Related Links: Can We Talk? I Mean Honestly? Ive Got Some Good News and A Warning for You Too Instant Messaging Expressway for Identity Theft, Trojan Horses, Viruses, and Worms VoIP in the Home Voip - Voice Over IP and Business: Is It For You? NextWest, Inc. to Demonstrate PCXi and NextContact IP-based Communications Solutions at ACCE 2004 Give Me Ten Minutes And I'll Explain Web Conferences Tucsons NextWest, Inc. Announces Partnership with DialResults, Inc Conducting a VoIP Readiness Assessment of Your Corporate Network Increase your web site conversion rates from 6% to 66%, in shopping carts and booking engines. How to Never Pay a Hotel Phone Bill Again