Take Care When Downloading Software

Downloading Files

You're constantly downloading files whenever you're online, as emails and web pages are sent across the internet to your PC and displayed on your screen. As a matter of course, these are scanned by your anti-virus program and email provider to weed out any malicious programs that might be hiding in them. But it's also likely that you're downloading other items, too, such as music or video files, updates to your software and even entire programs like games demos and freeware applications.

These bigger files aren't automatically scanned by your anti-virus software like web pages and emails are, and, consequently, in your excitement to open them, your enthusiasm can sometimes lead to you opening a virus. Because these files are just as capable of hiding a piece of malicious software as an email and, because they're concealed among MP3s or program files, they're sometimes easy to miss.

Safety first

It's for this reason that you should never open or install a file that you've downloaded from the internet without following a few safety procedures. They're not complicated and soon they'll become habit, enabling you to protect yourself without even thinking.

The first matter to consider is where the file you've downloaded came from; programs and demos that you've downloaded from a publisher's site, such as Microsoft or Adobe, can usually be trusted (though you shouldn't rely on the fact). But, if the file has come from a file-sharing program or site you've never used before, treat it with caution.

Secondly, make sure you scan the downloaded file with an up-to-date anti-virus program. While it will scan emails and websites of its own volition, your anti-virus program won't scan a file that's been saved onto your PC until it launches a scheduled scan of your entire system. As a result you should manually have the file scanned before opening or installing it, and this can usually be done by right-clicking on it with your mouse and selecting the appropriate option from the menu that appears. You should do this even if the file you've downloaded is zipped; some viruses can be triggered simply by the act of unzipping a folder.

Use System Restore

Thirdly, if you're using Microsoft Windows XP, Windows ME or Windows 2000, make sure you use the operating system's System Restore facility to create a checkpoint. System Restore is a powerful utility that Microsoft has built into its most recent operating systems and it enables you to return your PC to a previous state, like turning back the clock. So, create a checkpoint by clicking on Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and then System Restore. That means that if you install a program and it causes your PC to behave incorrectly, you can use System Restore to return your PC to the way it was before you installed the software.

Of course, the first two tips should mean that the third is wholly unnecessary; if you're vigilant and use your common sense, you shouldn't need to use System Restore and could, in fact, avoid downloading suspect software in the first place. But it's reassuring to know that there's a back-up plan and, if the worst comes to the worst, you've got a way to save your computer.