Noob's Guide to Downloading from the Internet

These are actually common sense IMHO, but then, I guess for beginners, I suppose they needed to know. P/S: The word 'noob' is there just for laughs - coz well, we are all noobs in topics that we have no knowledge of - and yes, that does include me. So if you're offended by that word, just use your finger and block it out, or something lol. 

Well, without much ado, here are a few tips on downloading stuff or for visiting free download websites.

Please take not that these are just some general guidelines from my personal experience btw. There will be plenty more where you'll need to apply common sense.

• If that download website has plenty of pop ups (despite the pop up block you have already set for the browser) and confusing download buttons everywhere... 

Ok, don't panic! Hover your mouse key (don't click just yet!) over the 'download links' and see where they'll link you to. P/S: You can see the link destination at the bottom left corner of your browser (Google Chrome). If the URL displayed is a jumble of alphabets or numbers that made no sense... just avoid it. If the URL has the name of the file that you wanted to download... well, it MAY be your file but it may also be a trap lol. Best is, just avoid these sort of sites and find other download sites.

BUT! If you really need that stuff (and there are like no other downloads available), well, you could always copy that link's URL - For Chrome, right click the said link/ linked button then choose 'Copy Link Address'. With the copied link address, you paste it here https://www.virustotal.com/ for a free scan. 

Honestly, I've never used that site before, but it does look legit and it's free, so yeah, I suppose it's credible enough. 

• If the stuff you expected to download is a jpg/pptx/whatever but you get an exe....

Don't install that exe!!! Whatever you do, just don't. Instead, check out the site's and the exe's credibility first - that exe file might be an intermediate software that you 'need' to install in order to download the actual file that you wanted. However, from my experience, these stuff are usually full of malware (look it up wikipedia, it's even worse than viruses IMHO). It's better to download the file you wanted without going through any intermediate softwares.

An example of shady intermediate softwares is Summersoft. I don't trust YouTube downloaders (use the alternative: http://offliberty.com/) or CNET downloader as well - though I did occasionally use Free Download Manager (a long time ago). In fact, torrent may be safer than these sort of download managers lol... just saying...

• Regarding files that are in winzip format.....

Some may actually be legit but there are generally a few warning signs to see whether it's legit or not (it's not all encompassing, just some general tips).

Also, before you do anything.... please just use an updated antivirus or/and anti-malware software to scan through it first. Seriously... just do it.

A few warning signs that show that the winzip is not legit

1. If it asks you to go to some (usually shady) website to fill in a 'survey' for the password to unzip the winzip file
2. If in the zipped file there are the stuff you wanted with a whole lot of other stuff that you don't want (you can actually view the stuff in it before you unzip)
3. When the password is not given to you to unzip it
4. When the file you needed is like a mp4/ a mp3 (singular) and somehow the uploader put it into a winzip for no logical reason... - probably it's a fake or it will lead you to *Refer to Number 1*

•  If there are comments section for the item you've downloaded, READ it! 

It's like a preliminary download review for you before you actually spent the time in downloading the stuff. People who had actually used it will know whether it's a fraud or full of virus. But ofc, you will need to employ some thinking skills here - there will be plenty of conflicting comments - so either do your own investigation (by like running your own scans) or just go ahead with it and hope for the best lol. Common sense! (If 8 out of 10 comments from different people say that it's crap and full of virus, you better be on high alert if you still wanted to go ahead and download+install/use that file.... maybe do a system backup first before download/install that shady file).

• Reserved for later additions

There are plenty of other tips (depending on what you want to download) but these are the few that I can think of at the moment - the very basic ones I suppose.

Oh and if you don't have an antivirus or anti-malware software (I'd recommend Malwarebytes).... GET ONE (and keep it updated for gawd's sake)! Seriously, if your computer is for public/work use or/and has internet connection, you should get antivirus or/and anti-malware for it - or you will just end up with a severely infected computer that no one dares or have the patience to use. There are plenty of free antivirus/ anti-malware (some come with both functions) on the web, just Google it and find one most suitable to you - you can like Google 'best antivirus software' and see what you get.