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Good afternoon all,

I'm using the latest Chrome (v18.0.1025.162) and I was wondering how safe is it exactly to allow those "magnet links" that Bittorrent has?

enter image description here

I always choose to download the .torrent file separately whenever there is an option to download the .torrent file (I think that it's safer this way),

However sometimes only the magnet link is provided, so I was wondering Basically comparing "downloading the .torrent file and launching it manually" vs "launching a magnet link directly from Chrome",

Is the former just as safe as the latter, or is the former safer than the latter?

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Don't think so. I think it is referring to the torrent its self, which like to have viruses.. I believe that the downloading of the torrent is what it is considering a potential attack – ekaj Apr 29 '12 at 1:28
@ekaj I mean assuming the torrented file itself is clean, is launching it through a magnet link a potential attack zone? – Pacerier Apr 29 '12 at 1:47

1 Answer

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Its about as safe as launching any other third party application to run an arbitrary file.

Lets say you go to www.dodgysite.notreal, and you get a popup asking you to run a external application without prompting, hit do nothing, and run like hell. The worst case scenario here is you end up launching an application with a known vulnerability, and your system is compromised through that.

On the other hand, this will happen if you launch any filetype not handled by chrome or explicitly stated as being safe. Its just a sanity check type warning not to run random crap. As such, as long as you're actually clicking and running a magnet link, from a reasonably trustworthy site, you should be safe.

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The image does shows the link requested (magnet:?xt=urn:), I was wondering is it possible that there is something else linked instead of a torrent file? – Pacerier Apr 29 '12 at 3:44
Basically I was wondering, 1) downloading the .torrent file and launching it manually, vs 2) launching a magnet link directly from Chrome, is (1) just as safe as (2) or is (1) safer than (2)? – Pacerier Apr 29 '12 at 3:45
Its about the same. If its a non magnet file link thats opened, your torrent client will just barf on it, and refuse to have anything to do with it, really – Journeyman Geek Apr 29 '12 at 3:50
Thanks, I guess that answers it =) – Pacerier Apr 29 '12 at 4:10

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