How to avoid viruses when downloading files from the Internet
Downloading the right files to your personal computer has become a very daunting task. The hackers are trying to exploit normal users by creating phishing sites. Some hackers will upload premium software to their websites and give it for free. As soon as the user downloads their products, their PC gets infected with malicious files. You might be thinking that you have the latest antivirus program and there is nothing to worry about. But do really care about the pop-up alert from your antivirus program which states that the download is not safe? Most probably, you ignore the threat and download the infected files.
There are many easy ways by which you can protect your PC from such malicious programs. In this article, we are going to give you some amazing tips which will help you to download clean files into your system. Let’s dive into the details.
Try downloading from official sites
The first thing which you should consider while downloading any software is the reliability of the sites. Instead of using a third-party website, it is always better to download the files from the official websites. You may say that the pricing on the official website is a bit higher and there is no way you can afford them. But if you dig deep, you will realize the pricing are way more competitive than the third-party websites, and you are getting the exact products from their websites.
There are so many websites and platforms out there that can help you download content. However, while some of them are dominated by ad pop-ups, others are simply fronts for cybercriminals that are looking to hack into your systema and get access to your information and data. There are old websites that have continued to maintain integrity and reputation for the last many years. One such platform has been The Pirate Bay. You can always turn to this site and be safe, as the platform is moderated at all times. To know more about how you can download content, please click here.
What about the offers?
Things become a little bit tricky when it comes to offering. Most of the time, the official website doesn’t give you any bundle offers. So, people often chose to stick to the third-party website as they come up with some great offers. Instead of using such offers, you may wait for some special events. For instance, you can try downloading a special software from the official website during Black Friday. By doing so, you are ensuring that you are getting the authentic product at a very special price.
Use secured connection
The moment you think to download a certain file is the very moment you should consider the security of your internet connection. Unless you are using a secured internet connection, no download is safe. Try to use Windows VPN as it will give you an encrypted connection in the network. So, if you download any product in a secured network, chances are very high that you will get the authentic product. Most importantly, you will have to leave any digital footprint on the network, and thus you can easily protect your privacy.
Check the domain age
Before you download any product, you should check the domain age. If the website is relatively new and the offerings are too good to be true, probably you are looking at a scam site. Take your time and do some research on the domain name. Usually, smart people don’t download any software from a website that has an age of less than 1 year. You are not bound to download a certain product from a certain website. If you do some in-depth research, you will find the same product at other reliable sites.
Scan the files
Scanning the files before you get them downloaded to your PC is a great way to protect your computer. In most cases, you can do this with your regular antivirus. If required, you can also use the online files scanner, and it should tell you whether you are downloading a reliable file or not. When it comes to downloading the attachment from emails, make sure you do not skip the scanning. If you do so, you might get your pc infected with a very bad virus.
Conclusion
Downloading from unreliable sources is never recommended. Look at the reviews of the websites and make sure the website is more than 1 year old. Always connect yourself to the internet with the help of a VPN so that you can hide your identity. While downloading paid stuff, make sure the website has an SSL certificate. Double-check everything before you download a small file. Always remember, it is always better to follow the conservative approach while downloading files from the internet.