Internet downloads offer unlimited potential; if you want something, chances are there is a download for it. Because of the history of downloads and the uses they have provided, most people have developed a mindset that with proper computer security and internet security, downloads are harmless. Unfortunately, there is more to downloads than meet the eye.
Have you ever had advertisements (i.e. adware) spontaneously pop up on your computer? What about dramatic decreases in computer security, speed and performance? Now you would think computer and internet security software would always detect these things when they first appear on your system, but they don't. Know this: computer security software, no matter how expensive or how much is on your system, will never provide 100% security. Hackers and malicious software (a.k.a malware) developers know this and capitalize on people's ignorance, therefore allowing them to infect people with ease.
This is where psychological computer security and internet security come into play. Before you download anything, make sure to use your judgment and common sense. This can be one of your best internet security defenses against malware and it doesn't cost any money! With that in mind, just remember all downloads are not created equal, which you will quickly discover.
Hackers and malware developers evade computer security by taking legitimate downloads and injecting homemade or pre-constructed malware in them. This serves two purposes: (1) antivirus software will have more troubles detecting malware within other files, and (2) people will download and install the program since it looks legitimate at face-value.
To protect yourself from running into malware infected downloads, there are two things you can do. First, only download from trusted sites such as CNet and TuCows. If you stumble into downloads that are not on trusted sites because of exclusivity, research the website by checking the Better Business Bureau or using a search engine. Second, use integrity checking software to see if downloads have been altered.
Integrity checking software provides good computer security and internet security because of what it examines. The software can be downloaded for free and analyzes MD5 hashes, which are like ID tags for downloads. MD5 hashes look like this:
de4174sd23859b1f1fr147424328fb7m
These hashes can be trusted because the most minor modification will change virtually the entire string, thus making it easy to detect unauthorized alterations or malware in downloads. The software is easy to use and can be done in three steps: (1) copy the MD5 hash supplied by the website, (2) download the file onto your computer, and (3) use integrity checking software to develop a MD5 hash of the downloaded file. If the hash from the website is identical to the one you created, it hasn't been modified and reduces the probability of malware infections!
Now you know why psychological computer security is so important when it comes to malware infected downloads. There are a lot of times where internet security software will not help, thus leaving protection entirely up to you. While common sense and judgment can act as a double-edged sword, remember to use the strategies above. Knowing and practicing what you now know about internet downloads will provide you with above-average computer security and internet security against malware, and you didn't even spend a penny to do so.
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Josh George has been an active member in the computer security and internet security community since 1998. He has made many presentations to groups that involved members from the FBI, DoD, and NSA and hopes to now help personal and small business users. To learn more about computer security and internet security, the link below provides time-tested best practices and recommended tools: Securityfor Computers
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