How to Check a Download for Viruses

Four Methods:Virus Total URL ScanVirus Total File ScanJotti's Malware ScanAnti-virus Program

Computers have become more vulnerable to virus threats due to the growth of the Internet, and you may unknowingly be downloading a virus while visiting a website or saving files from the Internet onto your computer. It is best to use precautions and check a download for viruses using online virus scanners even before you access the file from the Internet. You can also install anti-virus programs to protect your system against computer viruses while downloading a file or after the download has been completed.

Method 1
Virus Total URL Scan

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    Visit the Virus Total Homepage.
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    Click on the "Submit a URL" tab and enter the address of the website where you are about to download the file from.
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    Hit the "Submit URL" button. Virus Scan will check the website for viruses and let you know whether it is safe for downloading files from there or not.

Method 2
Virus Total File Scan

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    Go to the Virus Total website.
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    Press the Browse button in the "Upload a file" tab.
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    Browse to the file that you have downloaded and select it.
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    Press the "Send file" button. Virus Total will check the download for viruses and let you know of any threats that were detected.

Method 3
Jotti's Malware Scan

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    Open the Jotti website on your computer.
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    Use the Browse button to select the download that you want to scan for viruses.
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    Hit the "Submit file" link. Jotti will scan the file and display a status message to let you know if any viruses were detected.

Method 4
Anti-virus Program

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    Open your existing anti-virus program.
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    Open the Scan option.
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    Depending on what program you have, perform a Custom Scan.
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    Select the downloaded file as the file to be scanned.
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    Start the scan.

Tips

  • If you do not have an anti-virus program and do not want to pay for one, a reputable free antivirus is Avast. Download Avast here.
  • Many anti-virus programs offer real-time protection as well as virus scanning. This means that the software will notify you when it detects that you are downloading a virus attached to a file or if a website tries to attack your computer with viruses.

Warnings

  • Some programs that are designed to check a download for viruses can slow down your computer due to heavy CPU usage. Online virus scanners are a better option when you don't want to install heavy software on your computer system.


Sources and Citations

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Categories: Maintenance and Repair