The digital era has made everyone prone to download stuff from the internet. Almost everyone has a smartphone or tablet, which compels us to download files without a second thought, and that doesn’t always result in something positive.
Reputed sites like The Pirate Bay may not be a problem because it has a huge database and doesn’t reduce your download speed. You can check ipiratebay.org to get more information.
However, if you follow a few strategies while downloading the files, you may secure your system and reduce your chances of downloading malware-laced files. So, stay with us, and find out the strategies to safely download files from the internet.
5 Strategies You Need To Follow While Downloading Files From The Internet
Before we dive into the list of these safety strategies, let us tell you that these are tried-and-tested safety measures that work in all circumstances. If you can be so skeptical about online shopping, why can’t you follow the same procedure while downloading files from the internet right? Let’s find out the strategies here:
1: Download Files From Reputed Sites
Hackers are always trying to lure you with traps that can help you download things faster. Don’t fall for it. Only download files, and apps only from those sites that are well-known. If you are skeptical about which site to trust, you can check the site’s social media presence.
There are other ways to verify a website’s authenticity. For example, you can check the ‘ABOUT’ or ‘Contact Us’ page of the site, which will prove its credibility. Moreover, look for the physical address of the website or its phone number, and check if they exist or not.
Security and convenience don’t go hand in hand. So, if a site lets you download something without many obstacles, it’s probably not safe. In that case, it’s better to just download files from the reputed sites to avoid all this confusion.
2: Scan The Files For Viruses
If you don’t have an antivirus on your laptop, install one right away. Antivirus protects your computer and keeps it safe from malware-laced files. However, when you right-click on a file to download, most antivirus software will interrupt you if the file contains viruses.
Even if your antivirus doesn’t prompt you while attempting to download the file, you can scan it later to be 100% assured. Therefore, it’s better to check the file first and then open it; otherwise, it may hamper your system and erase the data.
Therefore, always listen to your antivirus if it blocks your download. Don’t try to disable the software, and proceed with the download because the antivirus blocked it for some reason, and you shouldn’t ignore it unless you are sure the file is safe.
3: Check The File Extensions
This is another strategy that you often ignore and regret later when the malware-ridden file corrupts your entire system. The extension means the letters that come after the file’s name. Usually, executable files like .exe and batch files such as .bat are considered risky.
Therefore, you should avoid downloading files that contain these extensions. In most cases, files containing these extensions will probably not even get downloaded. Hence, it’s better to avoid them at all costs.
If you download a file with a .exe or.bat extension, make sure you scan the file. Sometimes, many reputed websites may also contain these dangerous extensions, so it’s better to check them once before you open them.
4: Check User Feedback
When you download a file from a reputed site, don’t be sure that it won’t harm your system. It’s always safer to check user reviews and feedback before you download the file, as it speaks a lot about the file’s legitimacy.
What do you do when you buy a product from eBay or Amazon? You check what the other buyers have said about the product, right? Follow the same strategy here because user review speaks a lot about the authenticity of an app.
Don’t trust the feedback of only one site because those may be paid reviews. Instead, check reviews from multiple sites to be absolutely certain that the file you want to download contains no threat to hamper your device.
5: Backup The Files In Your Device
Even after following all these safety precautions, your computer may get infected with viruses, and you can’t do anything about it. That’s why the safest option is to backup all your files in an external hard disk or a pen drive.
Even if the virus exploits your resources and erases your data, you’ll still have a data backup. Hence, before you download anything new to your device, ensure your previous files are safely backed up somewhere else.
If you still fall victim to a virus attack, restart your computer, and format it. It will remove the viruses, and the backup files will also restore your data.
Wrapping It Up
We have shared a few strategies that you can use to download content from the internet. We guarantee that your downloading speed will not falter if you follow these strategies, and your downloads will also be safe and reliable. If any of these strategies work for you, don’t forget to let us know in the comment section.
