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BFlatMinor	How do I know if a downloaded software does only and exactly what it is supposed to do? who do we trust? Spyware? Malicious software? How can I check this when I download something? what are the best pratices? Who can test the software and how? If we have the source code can we check this? Is it viable? What do I need to be sure that a program isn`t malicious? I know am asking a lot of questions at the same time. Any help would be nice. 2 answer(s)
On-Site Computer Solutions Download various programs from http://www.download.com. There is reviews and ratings for different programs. Everything on this site is tested and trusted to be spyware/virus free. Programs will be labeled as free or trial. Download from official websites, search around for opinions and reviews. Don't just download whatever you first find on Google. You should have virus scanner installed. Some virus scanners let you right click the downloaded file and choose "scan for viruses" AVG is a free virus scanner that has this option. I recommend it if you want a free antivirus. Install the latest Firefox 3 it will scan your files for virus after download as well. Darrell S. Tech Support On-Site Computer Solutions http://www.424help.com http://www.download.com http://free.avg.com/ http://www.getfirefox.com DesertTiger Run the program in a sandbox it makes copys of all the files the program need to install and execute all in one folder which is isolated from your main system so no harm can be done you can even run trojans/viruses in there and just wipe it and start again without infecting the PC (as long as you run it sandboxed your fine) www.sandboxie.com