AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Private photographs, confidential financial documents and even military secrets have joined the list of files that computer users can download as they scour the Internet.

Millions of new users are looking for media files with peer-to-peer (P2P) programs such as Kazaa, which allow users to share all types of files -- usually illegally -- from designated folders on their hard drives across the net.

This has led to more and more people looking for confidential and private files either for simple amusement but, increasingly, for much more sinister purposes, say the authors of Web sites that post some of these documents and pictures.

"One way files are being offered is by people bringing work home from the office and putting it on their home computers where they have a P2P application installed," said Rick Wallace, who last month launched the SeeWhatYouShare.com web site.