The internet has made accessing and downloading files incredibly easy. With just a few clicks, you can get the software, documents, videos, music, and other files you want. But this convenience comes with risks. Downloaded files can contain dangerous malware like viruses, spyware, adware, and ransomware. Fortunately, you can take steps to ensure your downloads are safe.
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Check the Source of the Download
One of the best ways to avoid malware is to only download files from reputable, trustworthy sources.
Use Official Websites
When possible, get downloads directly from the official website of the company or developer. For example, if you want a PDF reader, download Adobe Acrobat Reader from adobe.com rather than a third party site. Official sites have a vested interest in protecting their reputation, so they‘re less likely to host infected downloads.
Research Unknown Sites
What if you need a download from a less familiar site? Do some research before downloading anything:
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Check reviews: See what other users are saying about the site on review sites and forums. Complaints about malware could indicate an unsafe site.
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Look for contact info: Legitimate sites should provide real physical addresses, phone numbers, and contact email addresses.
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Verify security certificates: Sites with “https” URLs and browser padlock icons use SSL certificates to encrypt data and indicate legitimacy.
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Avoid ads/pop-ups: Never download from ads or pop-ups, which commonly spread malware.
Use Trusted File Hosts
If an official site doesn‘t offer the file you need, look for it on a reputable third party host like MajorGeeks, FileHippo, or Ninite. These sites verify files are clean before making them available.
Avoid Torrents
Peer-to-peer file sharing through torrents is risky. You don‘t know who is sharing the files or whether they contain malware. It‘s safer to get downloads from verified sources.
Check the File Details
Even files from legitimate sites can potentially be dangerous. So before downloading anything, check:
The File Format/Extension
Make sure the file extension matches the format of the content you expect. For example, video files should end in .MOV, .MP4, .AVI. If a video download has an .EXE or .ISO extension, it is likely malware disguised as a video.
The File Size
Malware authors often try to disguise infections as small files like text documents. Be suspicious of ultra-small downloads like 5kb PDFs which would normally be much larger. On the flip side, be wary of giant multi-gigabyte downloads of simple files like JPEGs.
The File Description
Read any text describing the file carefully. Typos, grammatical errors, or descriptions that don‘t match the purported file type could indicate a fake download injected with malware.
The Number of Downloads
Check how many times a file has already been downloaded. Popularity doesn‘t guarantee safety, but it shows others have downloaded without issue.
User Reviews
See what other people say about their experience downloading the file. Complaints about viruses, fake downloads, or corrupted files are red flags.
Scan Before Opening
Once you’ve downloaded a file, don’t open it right away. First scan it with up-to-date antivirus software to check for infections. Windows Defender, Avast, AVG, and other anti-malware tools will check downloads for signs of viruses, Trojans, spyware, and other threats. You can configure most antivirus software to auto-scan downloads immediately.
You should also turn on real-time active monitoring in your antivirus program. This constantly scans files, processes, and network traffic in the background to catch malware the moment it appears on your device. Active monitoring provides vital zero-day protection against new threats your antivirus definitions don’t yet recognize.
Sandbox Suspicious Downloads
If you need to open a download that seems sketchy, use a sandbox tool first. Sandboxie, Comodo, and other sandbox tools let you isolate programs in a virtual container. This prevents any hidden malware from interacting with and infecting your real operating system. If the sandboxed program turns out to be malicious, simply delete the sandbox to remove all traces.
Avoid Automatically Opening Files
One sneaky way malware tricks users is by making downloads automatically open after you click the download link. To prevent this:
Disable AutoPlay
AutoPlay is a Windows feature that automatically opens media files like music and videos immediately after downloading. Turning it off prevents MEDIA files from auto-opening before scanning:
- Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound
- Under AutoPlay, uncheck the box for "Use AutoPlay for all…"
- Click Save
Configure Browser Settings
Adjust your browser settings to disable auto-opening of downloads:
Chrome: Settings > Advanced > Downloads > Ask every time
Firefox: Options > General > Downloads > Always ask you where to save files
Safari: Preferences > General > Uncheck "Open ‘safe‘ files after downloading"
Rename Downloaded Files
Many downloads will only auto-open if you keep the exact original file name. Simply change the name immediately after downloading to prevent auto-opening.
Avoid Installing Unnecessary Software
Rather than downloading new software for minor tasks, first see if you can use tools already on your device. For example, Windows 10 includes robust photo, video, and audio editing tools. You likely don‘t need to download any extra software. When you do install new programs, only download what you absolutely require from trustworthy sources.
Make Regular Backups
As an added precaution against malware-laden downloads, regularly back up your computer using trusted backup software, external drives, or cloud storage. That way if you do get infected, you can easily restore your system to a pre-infection state.
Other Download Safety Tips
Here are a few other things to keep in mind when downloading files:
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Don‘t use public WiFi for downloading without a VPN to encrypt your connection and hide your downloads from snooping.
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Disable Java/Flash in your browser if you don‘t need them to reduce exploit risks.
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Don‘t open downloads right away after scanning. Wait a few hours or a day or two to see if any reports about malware in the file emerge.
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Only download to non-system drives to prevent malware from infecting critical operating system files if your antivirus fails to catch it.
FAQs about Downloading Files Safely
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about secure downloading practices:
Is it safe to download from FileHippo?
FileHippo is generally considered safe. They verify and scan every download for malware before making it available. However, you should still scan any FileHippo downloads yourself after downloading as an extra precaution.
Can PDF files contain viruses?
Yes, hackers can insert malicious scripts and embeds into PDFs that trigger when opened. Always scan PDFs from unknown sources before opening.
Can I get malware from just downloading a file?
Potentially yes. Just downloading and saving a malicious file to your PC could infect your system in some cases. The infection risk is much lower if you don‘t actually open the file after downloading though.
Is it illegal to download torrents?
Simply downloading torrents itself is not illegal. However, torrents are commonly used to share copyright-protected software, movies, music, and other content. Downloading or distributing this copyrighted material is illegal.
Are .exe files safe to download?
No, .exe files are executable programs that could contain harmful malware. Never download .exe files from any unknown or untrusted source. Only download reputable .exe files from verified official sources.
The Bottom Line on Downloading Safely
By approaching downloads carefully and taking the right precautions, you can avoid malware infections from dubious files. Only use trusted sources, verify file details, scan with antivirus tools, sandbox unknown programs, and disable auto-open to keep your devices free of viruses. Safe downloading habits take some extra time up front, but they can save you from a devastating malware catastrophe down the road.
