Users
of P2P (peer-to-peer) file-sharing services may be sharing more than they
bargained for, a former White House cybersecurity advisor has warned.
Security researchers have found thousands of files with sensitive information by
searching through file-sharing networks, said Howard Schmidt, CEO at R&H
Security Consulting. Schmidt, who has also worked as chief security officer for
Microsoft, made the comments during an SDForum seminar. Medical records,
financial information and router passwords have all popped up on P2P networks,
often after users inadvertently share folders containing the data. "People don't
realise you're not just sharing your music," Schmidt said. "You're sharing your
personal files."
