Maintaining privacy when browsing the Internet is a very important factor. However, doubts always arise as to whether our data is really safe or if they can spy on us. Even if the Internet operator would know what pages we visit or what files we download. We are going to talk about it in this article. We are going to explain how your operator can know what you download from the Internet.
The operator knows which torrents you download from the Internet
Torrent file downloads have always been surrounded by controversy. Although the fact itself is not illegal, since you can download legitimate content such as a free Linux distribution, it is true that it is also used to download content illegally. In some countries this can have a significant penalty. Now, how can the Internet operator know what torrents you download?
To understand it, you must first know how torrent downloads work. It is not based on a centralized server, but rather a user who wants to download a file connects to a series of users who are also downloading or uploading the content and in this way the files are exchanged on the network .
An operator, at least generally, can tell if you are participating in these types of exchanges. This is so thanks to the IP address , which is an address that each device connected to the network has. It is necessary for sending data. When downloading a torrent, we connect to a monitoring server, which is what allows different users to connect with each other and be able to share files. It is just there that the IP address is visible to others.
Someone could monitor a specific torrent file and know which users are participating in that exchange. It’s as simple as starting to download that file and getting that information. In this way they could have access to all the IP addresses of those users.
With this method, the operator could know which torrents you download from the Internet. It’s not something you can find out automatically, but if you monitor a file. Also, the carrier could interpret when you are downloading a torrent file by analyzing the bandwidth you are consuming. There are even cases where they limit the speed when this happens.
File owners can intervene
You may be wondering what the operator gains from spying on you and knowing if you download torrent files or which ones. The truth is that they really earn little. However, those responsible for these files are the ones who can intervene and contact the operator. They can collect the IP addresses of users who download those files and find out which Internet company they belong to and contact them.
If you are wondering to what extent the operator can cut off your Internet or penalize you in some way, that will depend on what torrent files you download and what country you are in. The regulations differ a lot from one place to another. Also, downloading files as a Linux distribution through this method is totally legal.
Can you prevent the operator from knowing when you download files and how? The answer is yes. To do this, you can use VPN applications that are responsible for encrypting the connection and thus prevent a third party from seeing what information you exchange on the network. However, a VPN is not enough for security. If you want to be protected, it is important that you have other additional tools.
