Sharing Your Life on a Peer-to-Peer Network

by Kong

#include <disclaimer.h>

Even if you will not admit it, more than likely you have downloaded some sort of music or software via a peer-to-peer file sharing network like millions of other people around the world.

Whether it was in the glory days of Morpheus and Napster or in the RIAA infested world of Kazaa to day, it makes no difference.  While you can find almost any sort of media you desire, there are more interesting things that can be found.

First, let's examine what happens when you install most online sharing programs.  The setup program will ask you what files and folders you want to share.  Since naive and novice computer users know that sharing is the basis of all peer-to-peer networks, they decide to share everything in their My Documents folder or sometimes even everything on their computer without knowing that there is anything wrong with this.  Now it gets interesting if you know what to look for.

Several times I have found network configuration documents that people left laying around on their computer.

Many of these documents are for different businesses and schools that have hired people to install networks for them.  These documents often contain idiot-proof instructions on how to connect to the network (not like that is a complicated process).

Besides the instructions which you can toss aside, such documents can also contain every computer's hostname, IP address, usernames, passwords, and various other proprietary information meant for employees only.

All it takes is one careless employee to leave the document on an unsecured computer and the whole world has access to it.  Some good keywords to search for are network, setup, configuration, install, and LAN.

Despite it being scary how easily someone can obtain such detailed information about a network, the following is even scarier.  The popular craze today is doing taxes online.

At most places you enter all your information and within a few days or even hours they send you your tax information in PDF form.  The two forms sent are the Form 1040 and Form 8283.

The Form 8283 is basically a worksheet that isn't needed but contains your address, Social Security number, work, work phone number, and money earned that year.  All this can be used for pretty much any purpose you desire.

The Form 1040 contains even more vital information.  It has the same information as the Form 8283 plus some.  This is the form you have to send in to the IRS.

If you are receiving a refund, more then likely you are getting a direct deposit to speed things up.  In order to receive this, the form will require you to fill out your bank's routing number and account number.

Several sites have a search engine that allows you to enter a routing number and tells you the bank's name.  After obtaining any of those documents, you have a good deal of information about a person.

Just search for items such as return, tax, Form 1040, Form 8283, federal, or anything of that nature.

It might take awhile to download something interesting and most files will not be what you are looking for but eventually you will find something worthwhile.

Just remember not to be too vicious with anything you discover.