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Torrents are part of the “grey web” — not quite dark web, though largely illegal. Where else do you get raw cuts of new movies or apps forbidden for distribution in your country? Using torrent sites is a Russian roulette. But before you’ve gone down that gold mine of content, you need a safety instruction.
So, are torrents safe? The quick answer is: NOT AT ALL. But read on, we’ll get to that.
What torrents downloads are
Torrent technology allows users to download the same file from multiple computers. They are also called peer-to-peer downloads.
What is a torrent file? Torrents were invented by genius programmer Brad Cohen back in 2011. Before torrents came about, you had to download a file from a single source. What Cohen did was decentralize the download game. Now each computer that possessed a copy of a file could give away its part to the whole network. So you’ve got one file spread among thousands of users — and good luck putting copyright restrictions on that!
Torrent files have a special file extension: .TORRENT.
What are torrent sites (torrent trackers)?
To use torrents, you need just 2 things a) install a torrent-reading application b) download a movie/app/audiobook from a torrent website. The latter are called torrent trackers. Each torrent tracker has its library of downloads and is maintained by the user community. In most cases, you’ll have to register and confirm your account.
Safe torrent applications: Do they exist?
These are world’s top 3 torrent programs that you should know about:
- BitTorrent
- uTorrent
- QBittorrent
If you have ever downloaded anything (or just planning) from these sites, check your computer for adware. Seriously. This may be the reason you’re seeing pop-up ads on your screen. If you’re on a Mac, you may use the free version of CleanMyMac X. This app is actually notarized by Apple, and it pretty easily uncovers hidden adware on your Mac. If you use a PC, you may scan your computer for adware with Malwarebytes.
Is Bit Torrent safe?
BitTorrent is the first and most popular torrent protocol. It counts 130 million users in every country imaginable. BitTorrent is neither safe nor not safe because it depends on the software you’re downloading.
For the sake of the experiment, we’ll try to download a few programs using BitTorrent Web.
This image is for illustration purposes only — downloading cracked versions of apps is illegal!
Now, we’ll check if any malware has sneaked onto the computer along with these apps.
Step 1: Download CleanMyMac X (a free version from the developer’s site)
Step 2: Install the app and click on Malware Removal
Immediately, after installing a few cracked programs, CleanMyMac X found 2 adware apps on my computer.
Now, there’s no question if torrents are safe. This is the shortest way of infecting your Mac with malware. Whether the new pirated Netflix show is worth it, it’s up to you to decide.
Poland-based KickAss Torrents (KAT) torrented 1$ billion worth of movies and songs.
Can I be prosecuted for torrenting?
One-third of all torrent downloads is pirated content. So yes, if you distribute someone else’s copyrighted material, you are breaking the law.
There have been documented cases of government confiscating users’ notebooks with illegal material contained on them. Back in 2016, Anton Vaulin, the creator of KickAssTorrents site was arrested after numerous copyright infringement claims.
Note that using torrents is perfectly safe if you share only non-copyrighted material. Remember, using BitTorrent or other torrent application doesn’t grant you anonymity. Unless you use VPN your IP-address remains visible and you can easily be tracked by copyright watchdogs. `
Some countries have draconian laws against torrenting. For example, in Japan, uploading torrents is punishable with up to 10 years of prison.
Seeding & leeching
Seeding means publicly sharing your files within the network. Leeching is way of parasitic behavior and is referred to those users who remove their downloads from public sharing. Some users prefer to use torrents only one-way as a means of getting content. On the flip side, most torrent tracker sites give you privileges for acting in a pro-community way. If you are an active “seeder”, you’ll see faster download speeds.
Torrents and computer performance
Using torrents is banned in most companies, and copyright infringement is not the only reason for that.
Drawbacks of using torrents:
- Slower internet speeds
- Risk of malware infection
- IP-address publicly visible
- Lots of disk-space taken
- Battery drains faster
When you use torrents, your computer is in active back-and-forth with the P2P network. This takes its toll on memory and available disk space. Obviously, your internet speed also goes down. But here is good news: most torrent clients have a pause button so you can stop and resume torrenting at any time.
Set your torrent upload speed to 90% of the total upload speed to mitigate the internet slowdown
Interestingly enough, some tech giants rely on BitTorrent to quickly share data within the company. Thus, Facebook uses it for updating portions of code within the company network.
Malware distributed via torrents
What type of pirated content is most likely to be infected with malware? You guessed it, it’s TV-shows, simply for being the most popular thing that people torrent.
Here’s what Kaspersky’s Lab statistics say. Game of Thrones, Arrow, and The Walking Dead (or rather their pirated versions) were responsible for 17% of all instances of torrent infections in 2019. Media content can just as well be hacked like any other software, though movies are never formally “installed” onto the computer.
How does it work? The malware is most usually placed inside hidden folders inside the downloaded package. You click on a shortcut that is disguised as an actual TV-show episode, and you get infected with malware. What’s in the menu? Trojans (30% of all cases), advertising bots (29%), downloaders (20%).
The issue with bundles
Some legitimate apps you’ll find on torrents are deliberately bundled with adware. Those shady alliances between software developers are still common practice. For some developers, bundling is the only remaining option to get on people’s computers. On a positive side, many artists, the caliber of Thom Yorke and Madonna are taking advantage of BitTorrent bundles to promote their material. Many believe that torrent bundles on pay-as-much-as-you-want basis, will save the music industry from doom due to piracy.
How to tell if a torrent is safe?
First, you should look at the number of seeders. The file with the most number of users seeding it is less likely to be infected. That’s it’s sort of community-proven. For example, here is the list of available Game of Thrones episodes that you can find on Pirate Bay:
SE stands for the number of seeders.
How to have a safe torrent experience
Finally, here are some strategies to minimize the potential harm from using torrents.
- Use ClearVPN to protect your IP address — MacPaw's first effortless VPN for a personalized and secure online experience.
- Never click on .EXE files disguised as movies.
For example, “game_of_thrones_2018.exe” is not a movie file
3. Check your downloads for viruses.
MacObserver magazine recommends CleanMyMac X because it recognizes viruses that are specific to macOS. This application is notarized by Apple and is therefore free from viruses itself.
What we liked is that CleanMyMac X is able to сheck .DMG archives before you open them.
Get a free edition of CleanMyMac X here — this is a really cool app.
4. Double-check partnership offers you install with the main app. Click responsibly!
5. Read comments from other users prior to installing anything.
6. Install a “sandbox” application that allows to run apps in an isolated environment.
7. Use independent third-party browsers, like Tor.
Bonus tip:
When browsing torrent sites, disable JavaScript on your computer. This will block crypto-mining scripts that could covertly run in your browser.
According to Go-gulf, 98% of all content you’ll find on torrents is protected by copyright laws. And this remains the sole reason for torrents’ popularity. As most governments are cracking down on torrents, they always invent some clever ways of getting around the restrictions. Using torrents can in no way be considered safe, but with an antivirus and a VPN at hand, you’ll swim the troubled waters with less risk.
Apps to help you torrent safely:
- CleanMyMac X, new antivirus for Mac (free version available here)
- CleanMyPC — Windows cleaner for unwanted files
That’s all, folks. Hope you are no longer in confusion about “what is a torrent” and how to use it safely. Thanks for reading all the way through.
Torrent, named after BitTorrent, is a file sharing protocol which allows files to be fragmented and downloaded from multiple sources called peers. Although the word “torrent” has been long associated with illegal piracy and forbidden files, the torrent file itself is simply an instruction set of where to find those file fragments, so they can come together to form a whole. All the fragments are hosted by other computer users connected to the torrent network, such as yourself.
Best torrent clients for Mac
Get a huge set of downloaders for your Mac. Best utilities in one pack, give it a go!
It might sound complicated, but peer-to-peer is actually a very smart and efficient way to share files that don’t rely on single servers or private storage. Mac Torrents are no different to their PC or Linux counterparts. The only thing that isn’t the same is the choice of torrent clients themselves.
What is a Mac torrent Client?
As torrents became popular, the stigma around their use was diminished. Users worldwide were surprised at how quickly they could download files without experiencing the paywall or slowdown of traditional file-sharing systems.
To start downloading files through torrent, you just need to download and install a torrent client (software). The torrent client will then follow the instructions given in the torrent file to complete your download. Think of it like a download manager, specifically built for torrent files.
Torrent Mac clients come in different shapes and sizes, but all ultimately do the same thing — download files (called leeching) or upload files (called seeding). The right torrent client for you depends on your needs. You can opt for small and simple, or look for something more complex boasting advanced features. Downloading and installing a torrent client isn’t illegal per se, but all users should be wary of some nuances.
Is a torrent downloader for Mac legal?
Although torrents have historically been seen as illegal file-sharing systems, they are not inherently illegal at all. Torrent clients have many legitimate uses, including the sharing of open-source software or publically available files. The advantage of using a torrent client in these situations is potentially faster download speeds, especially if you use the best torrent downloader available.
Assuming the files you’re downloading aren’t subject to copyright or distribution laws, there should be no cause for concern. Conversely, if you’re using the torrent client to download files that you’d normally have to pay for, you may be breaching legislation, depending on the jurisdiction you reside in.
What to look for in a torrent Mac client
When it comes to reviewing a torrent downloader for Mac, there are a few considerations to take into account. At a high level, a basic user who runs the torrent client to download files infrequently will be happy with the most basic, lightweight app, and they don’t necessarily need the best torrent software. Those who wish to contribute and share their own files, or spend a lot of time downloading and uploading, might want to enjoy some of the advanced features available. For example:
- Bandwidth limiters allow you to throttle your download or upload speed to ensure your internet connection remains available for other tasks, or to ensure you don’t use all of your internet data.
- Magnet URI functionality lets you begin your Mac torrent download from a link rather than physically downloading a torrent file first.
- Encryption helps to mask the torrent activity to throw off your ISP monitoring and enjoy full-speed downloads in the case of ISP throttling.
- Superseeding enables you to become an uploader much faster after a download, but carries a risk of failing the upload if there’s only one downloader on the other end.
- Pricing can either turn on some advanced features, extra security, and ensure no advertising, or offer you a basic torrent client for free.
As you can see, most of the features separating various torrent clients are generally of a more pro-level nature. For the majority of basic users, they are less important than the look and feel of the torrent app. So what’s the best torrent client for Mac? Let’s dive into the pros and cons of the most popular Mac torrent clients so you know where to pull the trigger.
BitTorrent and uTorrent
BitTorrent for Mac is one of the original torrent clients designed to implement the BitTorrent protocol. It comes with the advantage of many years of experience and updates under the hood.
Strangely, BitTorrent also owns and operates uTorrent, another leading client. At face value, they are essentially the exact same software, right down to the user interface.
The key difference between the two apps is that BitTorrent for Mac only releases stable, tested versions, whereas uTorrent releases alpha and beta versions for those who wish to test out the latest features before everyone else. The early releases can beg the question: Is uTorrent safe? When it comes to subscribing to alpha and beta builds, it’s a matter of buyer beware — best for advanced users.
Another key difference is that uTorrent is slightly smaller than BitTorrent, and therefore easier to launch and less taxing when running a Mac torrent download.
Generally speaking, uTorrent still might be the better option for basic users who download torrents infrequently, simply because of its simplicity and lightweight build. Just hope those betas are stable enough!
Pros:
- Small and lightweight
- Ability to schedule downloads
- Long history of reliable updates
Cons:
- Contains ads (!)
- Both clients are susceptible to some security issues
Vuze and Vuze Plus torrent for Mac
If BitTorrent and uTorrent are the small, lightweight clients that get the job done — Vuze is created for the more advanced user who wishes to enjoy extended functionality.
The key difference here is the ability to add plugins for new features. Vuze comes in two versions. The first is Vuze Leap and the second Vuze Plus, which is essentially the same except for professional virus protection and the ability to preview files as they are downloading. Vuze Plus is also a paid client with all ads removed.
Vuze in general is likely a more suitable candidate for tech-savvy users who wish to take full advantage of the expandable plugin functionality. When set up correctly, it can be a top candidate for the best torrent downloader for Mac.
Pros:
- Expandable functionality through plugins
- Simple interface that borrows from the best
- Vuze Plus features added security
Cons
- Contains banner ads unless in paid version
- Two versions can lead to confusion
Folx Pro – the best torrent client for Mac?
Mac Game Torrents Downloads
Folx Pro is a paid torrent client, which means there are no ads and it comes with some great security measures right out of the box. Folx covers all of the basic features you would want in a torrent client, including scheduling. You can even search for new torrent files to download from within the client, instead of having to browse the web.
Pro Tools 12 Mac Torrent
Additionally, Mac users will appreciate the look, which takes after macOS and feels right at home. The interface is beautifully simple — refreshing after the added visual noise of competing Mac torrent clients.
Downloading with Folx Pro is thus even simpler than with other apps:
- Use the top search bar to type in your keyword and hit Return
- Wait for all results to show up
- Choose the appropriate file and click Download on the right-hand side
Pros:
- No ads whatsoever
- Built-in security measures
- macOS-inspired design
Cons
- Paid version only
Maintain your security at all times
One of the most important considerations to keep in mind when downloading torrent files is the risk of viruses or malware. Because there’s no single owner or distributor of the file at hand, it’s very easy to upload malicious files and escape the liability or consequences of doing so. Often, hackers will hide malicious software or scripts in popular torrent files. In these cases, it’s best to try to download torrent files that are distributed from a trustworthy source. Additionally, the best torrent software should come bundled with some security measures.
In any case, it’s a good idea to always scan your Mac for viruses. Thankfully, there’s an easy to use app called CleanMyMac X which will not only scan your system and quarantine malicious files but also optimize your Mac and help you properly configure your privacy settin
To quickly check your computer after every torrent download with CleanMyMac X:
- Open the app and navigate to Malware Removal tab under Protection in the sidebar
- Click Scan and wait for the process to finish
- Remove any malware found
Now that you know what Mac torrent clients are and some of the features to look for, you’re ready to get started with your unlimited file sharing. It’s recommended that you lean on the side of caution though, so a paid torrent client is your best bet.
Thankfully, you can try both Folx Pro torrent app and CleanMyMac X virus scanner for free during a seven-day trial with Setapp — a subscription service for Mac that grants you access to more than 150 indispensable apps to enrich your digital life. What are you planning to download now?
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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