When you download some software from Internet, there is always a risk of downloading some malware or spyware along with the downloaded software. Though it is not possible to fully eliminate the risk of such harmful code getting downloaded along with a software, it is possible to follow some basic thumb rules to minimize the risk of malware, spyware, or other similar harmful pieces of code while downloading a software.
Here are some tips about the precautions that must take while downloading a software to make your download safe to the extent it is possible:
(1) Try to download only trusted software:
Always try to download a software which you can trust. If it is from a reputed company or a reputed publisher, you can generally be sure about the safety and security aspects. There are many reputed companies which have established their reputation over time. For example, if you are downloading some utility from Google, Microsoft, Mozilla or Adobe, you can be sure that the software would not be getting any malware, etc., along with such download. However, if you find a software from some new company or a software which appears to be new and untested, at least make sure to read the relevant documentation or details of the software – what it does, how it operates, what system resources it uses. Try to read its features. Check whether such new software is listed at some reputed download sites; and if so, what are the software reviews from such sites.
(2) Download from the official website publishing the software:
Always try, as far as possible, to download the software from the official website of the publisher company which has released the software. When you download from the official website of the publisher company, you are sure that it is coming from the original and reliable source and also that there are no subsequent additions to the file in the form of any malware, etc. Of course, I must hasten to point out that if the software itself is a suspicious one, i.e., if it is suspected to be harmful in nature or is released by a suspicious publisher company, it won’t be of any help even if you download it from the official publisher; and, in such a situation the safest solution is not to download the software at all if you have even the slightest doubts about the intentions or features of the software.
Therefore, when you learn about a software from some source and are impressed by its features and want to download it, try to go to the official website of the software. You can easily find the official website of a software by using your favorite search engine. Just search the name of the software and, generally speaking, in first few search results, you’ll get a link to the official website of the software or of the publisher company. Download it from this official site.
(3) Alternatively, download from reliable and reputed download sites:
If it is not possible to download a software from the official website of its publisher for whatever reasons, then the next best option is to find out whether it is listed on some reputed download site, such as download.com, tucows.com, pcworld.com, etc. Normally, such reputed download sites will check the software for viruses, spyware, etc., before they list it on their respective sites.
(4) Never download from a suspicious site:
As a thumb rule, never download a software from a site which appears to be suspicious or which you cannot trust. Generally speaking, you should follow this rule scrupulously even if like a particular software. Safety of your computer should take precedence over a particular software. If your computer itself is harmed, then what use will it be even if you have some software with attractive features?
(5) Be cautious when a site tries to auto-download a software without your asking for it:
Sometimes, when you visit a site it may try to download some software or code on your computer even if you did not ask for that. In fact, a site may even ask for your permission to download a software. But, the basic question is: who requested for the software? Did you request for that software or the site is itself asking for your permission to download a software? Be cautious in such situations and exercise your discretion whether or not to permit a site to auto-download a software to your computer. Do not permit auto-download of a software unless you are fully sure about the credentials of the site and/or the software being downloaded. And, if that site starts the auto-download without your permission, consider to close the browser window and/or cancel the ongoing download. And, even if such auto-download has already been completed, do not execute that file in a haste. If needed, delete your temporary file folder or the download folder for that browser and run the virus check.
(6) Check the credentials of the download website from siteadvisor.com and other similar sources advising about security aspects of websites:
Before you download a software from an unknown site or a suspicious site, always confirm its security credentials from siteadvisor.com or similar web services which can give you online instantaneous feedback whether such site is reliable and safe to visit. In fact, many of the latest browsers have built-in features to automatically check for the safety aspects of a site being visited by you. The browser may warn you if you are visiting a site which has security concerns. For example, in Google Chrome, such online security warnings are provided if you check the Enable phishing and malware protection below the Under the Hood tab in Options item in Tools menu. In Internet Explorer, you can enable the SmartScreen filter under the Safety tool-button and you can also view the Security Report of a website under the same Safety tool-button. In Mozilla Firefox, check and enable the relevant security options (such as Block reported attack sites and Block reported web forgeries) under the Security tab in Options under the Tools menu.
So, always check for the safety details of the site from these and other online resources before downloading any software from an unknown site (in fact, even before you visit such site, pay attention to such security warnings).
(7) Use anti-spyware, anti-virus software for checking software being downloaded:
You can use a good anti-virus and anti-spyware software for constant vigil on your computer. At least, when you download a software, check it using such anti-virus or anti-spyware software before installing it on your computer. Keep your anti-virus software updated. It may not allow an insecure code to run on your computer.
(8) Use security features of browsers to check safety when downloading:
Some browsers may have inbuilt security features to check safety of files being downloaded. For example, latest versions of Firefox automatically check for the safety aspect using the anti-virus software installed on your machine when you download a software. Use these features to the maximum extent possible.
(9) Check the file size and the file name of downloaded software with those mentioned at download site:
After you have downloaded a software, always check the file size and the file name of the software by checking the Properties of the file (right-click on the file name in the Windows Explorer and then check Properties from the context menu). And, then compare these with the details mentioned on the website (preferably, the official website of the software) from where you downloaded it. If you find a difference in file size or file name, there is a possibility that what you have downloaded may be something else or may contain some added code in the form of some malware, harmful code, etc.
(10) Do not keep downloading every software recommended by somebody:
Try to avoid the temptation of downloading whatever new software is available on Internet or whatever is recommended by some friend or some site. Use your discretion and consider whether you really need that software or whether it would be useful to you and if so how much and in what way. More so, download only when a software has been tested and reviewed by some reputed sites and don’t jump to download whatever is new on the Internet.
These are some basic precautions which can definitely help you to download a software in the safest possible way, though as I already mentioned no method can be absolutely safe on Internet where some unscrupulous elements are always waiting to harm you.
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