Is it safe to download from download sites?
Hi, everyone. Leo Notenboom here for
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Here's the question. Hi, Leo.
I seem to remember reading some time ago
that it was not safe to download anything from a specific download site.
Plus, I suffered a malware infection
which might have been caused by a download from that site.
I've been reading your article about Macrium Reflect and considered downloading
the free version from that specific download site.
Do you think it's safe to download from this site?
Are you honestly, I recommend you avoid all download sites, if at all possible.
Talk about why.
It's really hard to find a good download site.
I'm sure they're out there. I really do.
I'm sure that there are some really good ones.
I might even guess a few names as
to which ones are more likely to be the safer ones of the bunch.
But I can't be sure, and neither can you.
There really is no way to know whether or not a download site is safe and secure,
or a download that comes from a download site is safe and secure.
What tends to happen with the more
malicious sites is that someone will take a legitimate download from the original
source, which I'll talk about in a minute, and they will alter it.
They will alter it to include malware
and then upload that to these less than reputable download sites.
So that when you download something
from those sites, what you're getting is more than you want.
You might get the program you're looking
for, but you might also get a healthy dose of malware on the side.
So my recommendation, use the manufacturer's website first.
If at all possible, download only from the software vendor's site.
Yes, that means there's a little bit of extra
work involved because you need to find that site.
You need to locate that site.
That may mean a little bit of googling.
It may mean a little bit of understanding
just exactly where the software you're wanting comes from.
But that is by far the most important take away from this video.
Go to the vendor's site.
Now, there are two exceptions.
Exception number one,
use the download site when that original software manufacturer tells you to.
Macrium Reflect is actually a great
example because when the free version was available,
Macrium would actually point you to one of the download sites to download it.
That's fine.
If the original software manufacturer is
telling you to get it from a download site, get it from a download site.
But be extra careful.
Don't just go to that download site and search.
Go to the software creator's site first and use the link that they provide
so that you know you're getting the actual official copy of that software and not
some duplicate somebody else may have uploaded
in the hopes that you would search and click on their website.
So that's exception number one.
Go to the vendor's site, the manufacturer's site,
and if they tell you to use a download site, use their link to go to the download
site and download whatever it is they're providing.
Except suggestion number two, very timely, old software.
Macrium reflects free edition doesn't exist anymore.
They don't make it available anymore.
So in a case like that, you may be stuck getting it from download sites.
Those may be the only places that that software is available.
I have two cautions for you there.
The obvious one, make sure you're getting the legitimate copy.
It's very possible that there are multiple uploads.
Use the best download sites,
the most reputable download site that you can find, but use that.
Second, scan the download immediately.
The issue here is that when software is
discontinued, like Macrum reflects Free Edition,
which was very popular, scammers might notice this and they might
take that as an opportunity to say, Oh, I will create a copy of that and put it
on a download site packed with my malicious software.
So to the best you can make sure you are getting from a reputable site
the download you expect and even then scan it as soon as you get it.
But by far, the biggest single take away
here is avoid download sites, if at all possible.
Go to the software manufacturer's website to download what it is you're looking for,
unless they send you elsewhere or you have no other alternative.
For updates, for comments,
for links related to this topic and more, visit
Askleo.com/13546.
I'm Leo Notenboom and this is Askleo.com.
Thanks for watching.