What would you think of millions of people having the ability to download the pictures and videos on your smartphone, or copy documents from your tablet computer, without your even realizing it?

If that sounds like a problem, you might want to take a look at the FTC’s just-announced settlement with a peer-to-peer (or P2P) file-sharing software developer. The company, Frostwire, offers free P2P file-sharing applications for Android devices and desktop and laptop computers.

Hackers use software programs to search the internet for computers that aren’t protected by up-to-date security software. When they find unprotected computers, they try to install malware that allows them to control the computers remotely. Many thousands of these computers linked together make up a “botnet,“ a network controlled by hackers to steal people’s personal information or send spam. Millions of home computers are part of botnets.

The digital revolution has enabled us to connect to the internet virtually anywhere at any time. Even when we are not directly connected, the internet supports our everyday lives through our financial transactions, transportation networks, emergency response systems, personal communication and more. This reliance on the internet will only continue to increase as technology advances and access to the internet expands. To maximize the potential of a digital society, we must protect the resources that make it possible.

The commander of U.S. Cyber Command, Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander, discusses America’s critical role in cyber security. Read his remarks.