valiantcrusade
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A great freeware program is a gift, but there are risks.
On several occasions, I have found what I was looking for on cNet, and then downloaded it right away.
Bingo...viruses, Trojan horses and phishing, some of which are very hard to get rid of.
It's hard to know whether cNet's own downloader or the freeware itself is to blame.
Suggestions:
1. By all means, use cNet to find what you are looking for and use editors & users ratings to select what you want.
2. Then, use Google to find out if other users have had the same problem with that particular freeware, or with the cNet downloader itself. If so, don't use cNet to download any more, and don't download the freeware you want. Find another site to download from, or find something else to download.
3. If you do want to install the freeware program (install program with .exe extension), scan it for viruses BEFORE running it.
4. During installation, read each screen carefully and uncheck ALL other program selections other than the one you want. Otherwise, you will get the freeware you want, but you will also get other programs you don't want, some or all of which can be infected. One of the reasons freeware is "free" is that it often finances itself by letting other programs advertise and ride piggyback on it.
5. Consider an alternative to freeware, something which costs practically nothing, but chances are if you pay for it you are getting something a lot safer to install and use. These apps often cost as little as $10 or $15. Again, Goggle them first to look for warning signs.
Freeware can be wonderful. There are a handful of great programs I use on a regular basis. But it can also make your life miserable if you are not careful. Whenever you go online, remember: TRUST NOTHING AND TRUST NOBODY.
Except this post, LOL!
On several occasions, I have found what I was looking for on cNet, and then downloaded it right away.
Bingo...viruses, Trojan horses and phishing, some of which are very hard to get rid of.
It's hard to know whether cNet's own downloader or the freeware itself is to blame.
Suggestions:
1. By all means, use cNet to find what you are looking for and use editors & users ratings to select what you want.
2. Then, use Google to find out if other users have had the same problem with that particular freeware, or with the cNet downloader itself. If so, don't use cNet to download any more, and don't download the freeware you want. Find another site to download from, or find something else to download.
3. If you do want to install the freeware program (install program with .exe extension), scan it for viruses BEFORE running it.
4. During installation, read each screen carefully and uncheck ALL other program selections other than the one you want. Otherwise, you will get the freeware you want, but you will also get other programs you don't want, some or all of which can be infected. One of the reasons freeware is "free" is that it often finances itself by letting other programs advertise and ride piggyback on it.
5. Consider an alternative to freeware, something which costs practically nothing, but chances are if you pay for it you are getting something a lot safer to install and use. These apps often cost as little as $10 or $15. Again, Goggle them first to look for warning signs.
Freeware can be wonderful. There are a handful of great programs I use on a regular basis. But it can also make your life miserable if you are not careful. Whenever you go online, remember: TRUST NOTHING AND TRUST NOBODY.
Except this post, LOL!
