1. Blocking malicious file types in the downloader/indexer
Many users recommend configuring qBittorrent, Sonarr/Radarr, or Prowlarr to refuse downloads of .exe, .scr, .zip, etc.
“Tell your downloader (in my case qbittorrent) to not download .exe, .scr, .zip, etc, etc, etc.” – comrade1234
“Sonarr has an advanced setting in Settings > Indexers > [Your indexer] > Fail Downloads which you should add ‘Executables’ to.” – bhaney
“If you are too lazy to join private trackers, at least use TraSH guides to set up quality profiles.” – shmoil
2. Joining private trackers as a reliable solution
A large portion of the thread advocates private trackers for better security, fewer malware files, and higher‑quality releases, noting the barrier of invites/ratios but also ways to mitigate it.
“Join a private tracker and never think about it again.” – queenkjuul
“I mean i just joined a private tracker and so I don't have to think about it. Several, actually.” – queenkjuul
“You can get into some not paying. You're just required to either have a minimum ratio or share several days… In practice, it's just adding an API key, setting a rule in the app to remove after x and then you can go back to ignoring it.” – torben-friis
3. Complaints about the complexity of the *arr stack and desire for simpler alternatives
Several commenters criticize the proliferation of *arr tools, suggesting they are over‑engineered and that simpler setups (Usenet, cleanuparr, or manual scripts) work better.
“How is the arr stack so fracking complicated? Once upon a time, all you needed was a browser, a torrent client, and VLC.” – aftbit
“The ecosystem is way too fragmented. Another app !!” – gib444
“I created a small program that scans qbittorrent with their API and removes torrents that contain these file extensions…” – sbstp*
4. Malware/EXE uploads on public torrents are an expected, long‑standing issue
Users note that executable files masquerading as media have been around for years, often tied to scammers or anti‑piracy tactics, and that encountering them is part of the torrenting experience.
“This has been a thing since torrents have existed.” – hparadiz
“I don’t understand why you'd use completely unmoderated and full of malware TPB instead of a competently run public tracker like 1337x.” – cowlevel
“This is what the anti-piracy companies do to try and dissuade people from torrenting. Just create a custom rule to give .exe files a -1000 weight and never worry about it again.” – diebillionaires