Overcoming Free-Riding Behavior in Peer-to-Peer Networks Using Points System Approach

Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks play an important role in communication and resource sharing. In recent years, the importance of(P2P) networks has increased due to their scalability and simple, cost-efficient model. P2P file-sharing systems with decentralized file storage have emerged to allow peers to share resources and download files directly from one another. However, one major problem hindering the success of these services is a type of behavior called free-riding, in which a peer consumes system resources for free without sharing anything in return. In this article, we propose an approach based on points for overcoming the effect of free-riding. To evaluate the performance of our proposed algorithm, we compared it to the original BitTorrent protocol. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm provides fairness between peers and prevents free-riders from downloading files when they reach the credit limit.