- BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer protocol that decentralizes file sharing, boosting speed and resilience.
- It splits files into pieces distributed among users, with features like trackers, DHT, and encryption.
- While often associated with piracy, it has legal uses by organizations for distributing large files.
- Security risks include lack of anonymity and potential malware, with legal issues around copyrighted content.
- The protocol has evolved with BitTorrent v2, WebTorrent, and blockchain integration via BTT tokens.