I was reading an antivirus comparison somewhere and i noticed that all anti-virus mentioned could not offer P2P protection...including Norton. Anyone caring enough to explain to me real quick what this P2P is?
You should treat all downloaded files with the utmost suspicion. As mentioned earlier, you have virtually no way of ensuring that what you downloaded is what you think it is or that it doesn't also contain some sort of Trojan or virus.
It may still be possible that it could contain malicious code that your antivirus vendor is unaware of or does not detect, but scanning it before opening it will help you prevent most attacks.
Thanks for the clarification because even in one of the so-called "comparison" diagrams...at the very bottom found here https://www.1and1.co.uk/digitalguide/server/security/comparison-of-the-best-antivirus-programmes/ Norton seems to be the front runner and def the best! the only thing i noticed was that all of them couldn't offer the P2P protection i asked about.
If you do download an infected file using P2P software, it will be detected by Norton when you try to access the downloaded file.
The point about no protection for P2P just refers to the fact that there is no way to scan while the file is being downloaded. That is because you are only downloading individual portions of a complete file. There is no way to scan just a very small portion of a file.
Is there a chance that Norton might sought of establish a way to offer P2P protection?...in the future i mean.
File sharing technology and P2P software was designed to exchange music, movies, videos, and other files over the Internet. The sharing of music and movies through the use of file sharing peer to peer (P2P) software available on the Internet is discouraged due to copyright and security issues.
File-sharing technology is a popular way for users to exchange, or "share," files. However, using this technology makes you susceptible to risks such as infection, attack, or exposure of personal information.
File sharing involves using technology that allows internet users to share files that are housed on their individual computers. Peer-to-peer (P2P) applications, such as those used to share music files, are some of the most common forms of file-sharing technology. However, P2P applications introduce security risks that may put your information or your computer in jeopardy.
When you use P2P applications, it is difficult, if not impossible, to verify that the source of the files is trustworthy. These applications are often used by attackers to transmit malicious code. Attackers may incorporate spyware, viruses, Trojan horses, or worms into the files.
The best way to eliminate these risks is to avoid using P2P applications.
You can never trust the file you are downloading from a remote user in P2P environment.
P2P is a known mechanism for distributing Bots, Spywares, Adware, Trojans, Rootkits, Worms and other types of malwares.
https://www.lifewire.com/steps-to-ensure-youre-safe-on-peer-to-peer-p2p-2487439
FWIW ~ YMMV