Torrent Safety?

[Icewalker]

I have used them in the past, (and there are legal uses, if I understand the system correctly, which is how I use them), but I'm wondering how safe they are. Are they terribly unsafe and terribly risky to download without horrific viruses and computer invasion, or are they relatively safe?

Right now, I have just installed Avast! and Malwarebytes.

[FdL]

No. It's just a method of file distribution.

The dangers to your security come from the kind of file you are downloading and its source.

To be honest, I download torrents on a regular basis and I haven't ever caught anything from them. You do need some common sense and any antivirus. Not much more though.

[Mordokai]

Regular torrent (ab)user here and I can testify for their safety. Usually, the site itself is more dangerous than torrents. Viruses are something I didn't get ever, since torrents are usually of very high quality and virus free. However, read the comments. Sometimes, people are being jerks and upload something entirely different than the name suggests, or add virus, just to be... well, jerk. Usually, somebody is nice enough to warn others of that. So reading comments on torrent can go a long way to make you safe.

[Starscream]

As long as you are using them legitimately, they've always struck me as pretty safe. I know that the Bit Comet client actually allows you to automatically have it scan the files you get with your antivirus software.

[Johnny Blade]

For the record, the only time I got virus-infected files via torrent was when they came with an abandonware collection, and the viruses in question were over 10 years old, so not exactly dangerous.

[kriebly]

Stick to torrent sites where the owner of the web site actually created the torrents--web sites linked to from animesuki.com are an example.

Sites that allow the public to post their own torrents will be at risk of giving you an infection. I heard of this happening in the past.

[thubby]

i always scan them before anything else, and i have yet to get anything from them.

[GoC]

I just stick to non-executables.

[FdL]

Mordokai's advice is good. Read the comments on whatever you're downloading. People will tell when something is not what it's supposed to be or there's any problem with it.