BitTorrent is a specialized peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing protocol that reduces the impact of sharing large files on servers and networks. While torrenting allows you to share large files, it does expose you to risks. This article explains those risks and what you can do to mitigate them.
The risks of using BitTorrent
First, anyone you are sharing a file with can see your IP address (that is, the number assigned to all Internet-connected devices). In fact, you can see the IP address of everyone in your torrent network — and everyone can see yours. This puts your privacy at risk because it is possible to see who is downloading and sharing which files.
Second, while users can only tie torrenting activity to an IP address, your Internet service provider (ISP) can pair it to your true identity. Your ISP is the company that connects you to the Internet and assigns your device its IP address. As long as you are connected to their network, your ISP can record your Internet activity and connect it to the name and address on your account. These records can then be provided to third parties upon request. Furthermore, many ISPs seek to actively identify and throttle BitTorrent downloads, leading to slower torrenting speeds.
How to choose a trustworthy VPN for BitTorrent
Using a virtual private network (VPN) is one of the easiest ways to use BitTorrent safely.
Unfortunately, not all VPNs are created equal and your data is not necessarily protected simply because you are using a VPN. You should only work with trustworthy VPNs, as your VPN provider has the ability to see all of your traffic. When evaluating a VPN service, these are the things to look for:
- The team providing the service – If you don’t know exactly who runs the VPN service, it might not be a good idea to trust that VPN provider with your data.
- A strict no logs policy.
- Strong encryption and secure VPN protocols – Examples of secure VPN protocols include OpenVPN and IKEv2.
- The location of the VPN provider’s headquarters – Countries without strong data protection laws can legally force VPN providers to turn over their users’ data to authorities.
What makes ProtonVPN safe for torrenting
ProtonVPN is dedicated to securing our users’ privacy.
- We do not keep logs of users’ online activity.
- ProtonVPN uses IKEv2 protocols for its macOS and Android app and OpenVPN protocols for its Windows app.
- We are headquartered in Switzerland, home of some of the strongest data protection laws in the world.
You can find a full description of our security features here.
ProtonVPN does not condone the use of BitTorrent to illegally share copyrighted material. Our support of P2P protocols is intended only for downloading and sharing legal content.
How to use ProtonVPN for BitTorrent
Signing up for ProtonVPN is simple. There is a link at the bottom of this support article. However, P2P sharing is only available using one of our paid plans: Basic, Plus, or Visionary.
To set up your account for torrenting, click on the “Sign Up” button and then choose a Basic, Plus, or Visionary plan.
- You can then either link your ProtonVPN account to your ProtonMail account or create a new account using any email address.
- Finally, select whether you would like to pay for your subscription using your credit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin.
Congratulations! You now have an official ProtonVPN account.
- Once you are signed up, you simply need to download and install our ProtonVPN app on your device.
- Once our app is installed, log in using your account information. It will take you to our VPN interface that shows all the servers available to you and the load they are currently experiencing. For the best torrenting experience, look for the servers that have the two-arrow icon next to them. This icon indicates that this server has been optimized for P2P file sharing.
- Once you’ve found the server you want, just click connect and start sharing files with your friends.
Click the here to get started with ProtonVPN today.
Or if already have an account and you would like to begin using BitTorrent over our VPN servers, click upgrade via your dashboard.
