Peer-to-peer file sharing programs such as KaZaA and Morpheus are plaguing the personal computers of students across the nation by decreasing computer speeds and security.
When users download KaZaA’s main file-sharing program, they are also unwittingly installing no fewer than five other “spyware” applications. One, for instance, monitors user habits and page speeds, while three others control advertisements, automatically popping up ad banners while the user is surfing the web.
Worse yet, these same “parasite programs” are able to borrow the unused processing power of a user’s computer to help with other companies’ complicated tasks.
Because the spyware is contained within a single installation program, there is no easy way for to determine what programs are being installed.
According to Matt Arthur, director of Washington University’s Residential Technology Services, his office has dealt with hundreds of cases in which the performance of students’ computers dropped as a result of spyware programs that ran without the knowledge of the user.
Arthur also said that is important for students to realize the security threats the spyware pose.
“They can obtain information from your computer practically down to the keystroke,” said Arthur.
KaZaA is one of the most popular of a crop of MP3 file-sharing programs that have tried to replace Napster. At any given time, there are an average of 2 million KaZaA users and 85 million downloads occurring.
In an industry where interest in Internet banner ads has declined and advertising has become so competitive, companies are trying to find new ways to generate revenue. Thus, firms pay KaZaA in order to have their parasite programs bundled with the software.
When users accepts the “terms of service” agreement while downloading and installing KaZaA, they agree that their computers may be used by these parasites without any compensation to the user.
KaZaA’s terms of service reads, “You hereby grant [the company] the right to access and use the unused computing power and storage space on your computer/s and/or Internet access or bandwidth for the aggregation of content and use in distributed computing. The user acknowledges and authorizes this use without the right of compensation.”
Users who refuse to accept these terms are unable to download the software.
“They know that nobody except lawyers actually reads the fine print of the contract,” said WU freshman Bryce Kirshbaum.
Some, however, do not mind the nuisance of advertisements and see it as a mere stipulation of using the software.
“The positive benefits of downloading free music outweighs the negatives of having to deal with the spyware,” said former KaZaA user Ryan Shen. “They need me, I need them; we’re basically just using each other.”
Removing the software from one’s system requires software called Adware and some technical expertise.
“I had to practically jump through hoops to get rid of it the first time,” said Arthur.
Adware will detect spyware and rid a system of the parasite. After removing the spyware, computers tend to run better and faster. This software is available for WU students through Residential Technology and is downloadable from their website at http://restech.wustl.edu.