Cloud computing and P2P file sharing will lead to malware fest

GSS is warning that there’s the potential for a malware-fest after researchers found a method of using the Amazon EC2 service as a BitTorrent host/downloading mechanism. “Using P2P programs, like BitTorrent, has always been a risky procedure for PC users, owing to the issue of infections arriving along with the pirated software and other executables,” comments David Hobson, GSS’ managing director. “In fact, reports have just come in that BitTorrent is hosting a malware-loaded version of the Apple iWork software,” he adds. “What is even more worrying, however, is the fact that researchers have developed a method of using the Amazon EC2 cloud computing service as a remote harvester and hosting system for BitTorrent files,” explains Hobson. That means, says Hobson, that hackers and others can simply use a prepaid (and anonymous) debit card to pay the $75 a month fee to Amazon and harvest BitTorrent applications at high speed with little or no chance of detection. And this raises P2P file sharing to a new level, almost certain to dramatically increase the use of BitTorrent – with all the risk the facility entails – among experienced Internet users. “The danger here is that companies may find their staff FTP-ing files from Amazon EC2 – a completely legitimate domain – to the firm’s computers, resulting in a computer infection. The consequences of this do not bear thinking about,” says Hobson.