Download Safely

When you download music, video or applications from the Web, it's important to take precautions to protect your computer from viruses and malware. This article provides tips for downloading safely and ensuring the protection of your computer.

Steps

  1. Install a spyware/malware detection program, such as Windows Defender or McAfee Site Advisor.
    • If you do happen to download a file that is unsafe, a program such as this will help identify it and can often remove or quarantine it.
    • Make sure you update your protection program regularly, so that it is always able to detect the latest viruses and malware.

  2. Use common sense. If you're browsing through programs to download and one of them has features that make it seem too good to be true, chances are that it is. A program that claims to do the seemingly impossible should make you suspicious.
  3. Read the comments. If the site you're browsing includes user comments about the files it offers, read them. You will sometimes find reports of files containing viruses or malware.
  4. When you find a file that you want to download, first check to make sure you're on a reputable site. Many malware sites take advantage of users mistyping URLs (e.g. "yotube.com," "goggle.com" and "gmai.com"). Check the address bar at the top of your browser window and be sure that the address displayed exactly matches the site you're browsing. Pay close attention to the beginning of the address—the part between http:// and .com, .org or .edu. If the URL matches the site you expect, you may be safe.
  5. After downloading a file, check to see that the item you received is not a ".exe" file. This type of file is an executable, meaning a program that will run on your computer. Music, image or video files should not be executables, although application files can be of this type. To see details on a file, right-click it and choose Properties.
  6. Scan downloaded files for viruses/malware. Every time you download a file, run a scan using the software you installed in Step 1. You can usually scan a file by right-clicking it and choosing the appropriate command from the menu. This takes only a few minutes at most, and if any viruses are detected they will be quarantined and/or deleted. If your anti-virus program warns you that your computer might be infected, run multiple scans and delete any viruses found.
  7. If you are using Chrome, use the free Metascan Online browser extension which will automatically scan your downloads using 40+ antivirus engines at once from their cloud server. (download available at: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/metascan-online-for-chrom/fjampemfhdfmangifafmianhokmpjbcj )

Tips

  • Computers that run on open-source operating systems like Linux or BSD usually are not prone to viruses, so downloading should be safe.

Warnings

  • Your computer is at risk whenever you download anything from the Web. Always proceed with caution and watch for signs of anything abnormal on your computer.
  • No single method can protect you from all unsafe downloads; malware creators are always devising new ways to fool computer users.

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Sources and Citations

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