Security tip: 5 mistakes to avoid when downloading files
I’ve noticed many questions in my inbox lately about whether or not the downloads I recommend are safe. The answer is yes. Before recommending anything to Komando.com readers, we test them rigorously.
But other sites may not, so you need to be careful. It’s easy to be careless when downloading files and free programs from the web since all it takes is a few clicks, but those clicks may lead you to something you are not expecting. Tap or click here for questions to ask yourself before clicking any links.
Here are five common mistakes that people make when downloading files. This tip is brought to you by our sponsor, TotalAV.
1. You download apps from unknown sources
There are thousands of free applications available online. If you love trying out these free applications, there are times when you might click on a download link out of curiosity. Be it an Android or iOS device, a Mac, or a Windows 10 PC, there are apps out there that are not what they seem.
To prevent rogue apps and programs from installing, you can opt to disallow the installation of programs from unauthorized and unknown sources. Installing apps solely from your system’s respective app store ensures they were tested and checked for viruses and malware, plus they passed the store’s security and privacy guidelines.
Here’s a recent example of a third-party app store loaded with malicious apps. Tap or click here to find out why third-party app stores are bad news.
(Note: Since there are multiple Android manufacturers, the instructions on adjusting settings on your device may differ from the ones we give here. For your specific steps, check your user manual. Tap or click here for thousands of free user manuals online.)
On Android devices, to prevent side loading of non-Google Play approved apps, go to Settings > Apps & Notifications and select Advanced and Permission Manager. From here, slide the toggle next to “Allow installation of apps from unknown sources” to the left to disable it.
For Windows 10, open Settings > Update & security > For developers. Under the header “Developer Mode” and “Install apps from any source, including loose files, slide the toggle to the left to disable.
On Macs, you could prevent applications from unidentified developers from installing. For an even more secure system, select the Mac App store only.
To access this, open System Preferences > Security and Privacy > click the padlock and enter an administrator password to unlock it. Then make sure you select either “Mac Store and identified developers only” or, for an even airtight system, Mac Store only.
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