Safeguarding Ecosystems and Efficiency in Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Systems: An IoT-Inspired Approach to Pollution Mitigation

The disruption of the environment’s equilibrium has occurred as a result of mishandling and contamination of vital components of the ecosystem, which are essential for supporting human life. This situation poses a significant risk to the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. To effectively address this issue, it is crucial to assess the extent of the damage and implement measures to prevent further harm. The rapidly advancing field of the Internet of Things (IoT) offers numerous promising models that can contribute to achieving these goals. This paper aims to provide an overview of selected models surveyed and evaluate their effectiveness. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing systems face a significant challenge when a large number of fraudulent files are introduced, causing pollution. Since P2P users serve each other, their actions directly influence pollution levels. Consequently, we conducted a comprehensive study to analyse user behaviour and identified cooperative behaviour and pollution awareness as critical factors. Our research findings indicate that users generally exhibit apathy towards pollution in peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing systems. Their behavior shows a distinct distribution regarding the time interval between downloading a file and verifying its quality. In order to assess the impact of pollution on the popularity of files, we propose a mathematical model. Through our analysis, we reveal that user awareness plays a crucial role in the dynamics of pollution. Additionally, we evaluate the effects of pollution on P2P traffic loads and find that it can result in a fourfold increase in loads in the worst-case scenario. These findings underscore the importance of addressing pollution-related issues in P2P systems to ensure their efficiency and long-term sustainability.