We all have to download software sometimes, and most of the time it’s because we purchased that software from a reputable company, and we don’t worry about the safety of the download.  However, there are other times, we’re sort of “shooting in the dark,” and maybe it’s a free download we saw advertised (and it looks REALLY interesting).

For the less experienced computer users, downloading software safely might pose some problems and unexpected results.

Can you really trust software developers to have your best interest at heart?  After all, those extra security measures are sometimes costly; it’s so easy to choose profit over safety.

One would think that directly downloading a piece of software from the developer would be a guarantee of rock solid safety.  Unfortunately, this may not be the case.

Here are some tips to make downloading software safer:

1. What’s the Reputation of the Site?

Go ahead and take the time to visit the website of the company offering the product you want to download.  Pay particular attention to the product page.  You can check on the safety rating by using “WOT” which means Web of Trust

If you’re a newbie, be sure to load the WOT Extension as it will prevent you from even loading any unsafe sites, not just download unsafe software.  WOT focuses more on the reputation and the ethical stance of the site, while SiteAdvisor is preoccupied almost entirely with malware detection alone.  Pay attention to what both of these tools tell you.  If your site/software passes muster with both of these tools, you’re probably safe.  But not so fast…

2. Download and Scan 

Go ahead and download the software, but right away you should scan it using your anti-virus software. Upon completion of the scan, you should have a better idea of the safety of the downloaded file. Even still, you are not finished. Read on…

3. Are There Unwanted Extras? 

This might be the last step, but it’s certainly not the least important. This might sound complicated, but you need to check for any and all bundles of extras or options that are simply not needed and therefore, not wanted. The downloaded file can contain or download additional software. Some of these extras can be a real pain in the neck to get rid of — things like changing your browser’s default settings, or messing with your home page. So even if your anti-virus software says the fie is good this no guarantee that you are safe.

Conclusion

In this day and age of ransomware and polymorphic viruses you need more than traditional anti-virus protection. At the current time ransomware and viruses are capable of morphing every 15 seconds. To keep up with the onslaught, the traditional approach would require updating your virus definitions every 15 seconds.

As you can imagine this is an impossible task.

This is where Tech Sentries steps in. We incorporate a Proactive White List technology. Simply said this means it does not matter how many times or how often executable files change, if they are not on our approved list we are going to stop it from running on your computer.

If you want to learn more about Tech Sentries go to our website www.techsentries.com or give us a call at 843-282-2222.