Downloads have become a part of life in the digital era. It’s unusual to find someone without a smartphone, and because so many of us have digital gadgets, we keep on downloading movies, music, and games from the web without checking the source.
However, you must consider all of the applications on your phone and smart TV, as well as the software on your laptop and the photos and movies you’ve downloaded to your tablet.
For example, if you are downloading content from The Pirate Bay, you must use a VPN; else, it may alert your ISP and reveal your online identity to hackers. Just like this cautionary statement, there are plenty of other things to remember while downloading from the internet.
Things To Remember When Downloading Videos From The Internet
When downloading files from the internet, it’s easy to forget about tried-and-true security measures, but that shouldn’t be the case. You should take the same precautions while downloading files to your device that you would when purchasing online. Let’s check them out:
1: Download Only From Trusted Websites
If something seems too good to be true, it generally is. Hackers take advantage of people’s need for instant gratification and freebies by persuading them to download new music or movies before anybody else. Therefore, avoid any website that promises free movie downloads or anything else that shouldn’t be available to customers for free.
Check the website’s “About” or “Contact Us” page to judge its legitimacy when in doubt. Look for physical addresses, phone numbers, and press coverage that indicate the site as a reliable website. If you get an attachment from an unknown email address, do not open it without clarifying with the sender what it is.
2: Scan The Files Before Download
Before you download anything, you should always scan it for malware as a precaution. If you right-click on the file you’re trying to download; most anti-virus software will check the content it withholds. Others will ask you to first launch your program before scanning the file you just downloaded.
If you download a file without first scanning it for viruses, don’t open it unless you’re confident it’s virus-free. As an extra cautious measure, run your antivirus software after downloading the file to guarantee that nothing that can steal your data got through the firewall.
3: Stay Away From File-Sharing Sites
Torrent sites are one of the most popular websites for obtaining videos, but they are frequently contaminated by malicious files. Even more, it’s unclear whether you’ll get what you really desire after you download the file. That’s why you should stay away from file-sharing sites.
However, if you choose to utilize a file-sharing tool, ensure you have a virus scanner on your computer. This will defend you from viruses, spyware, and Trojan horses, which may compromise any data on your computer. Additionally, distributing programs that request open ports to the user’s firewall should be avoided.
4: Check The File Extensions
The letters that appear after the file name are called the file extensions. In addition to inspecting files before downloading or running them, you must ensure that you are not downloading any executable or batch files. Extension files like.exe or.bat are frequently seen as harmful and should be avoided.
If you got a file with one of the following extensions from a website you trust or known email contact, scan it first to ensure it isn’t malicious. Sometimes, hackers impersonate your known people and send you malware-laced links, so make sure to scan them before using them.
5: Backup Your Files
OptionBox director Michael Fontana suggests backing up your smartphone to secure your files, images, and data in case you unknowingly download something dangerous onto your device. Our digital gadgets may store various valuable information such as photos, phone numbers, and more, and viruses can render them unusable, making it hard to access anything.
That’s why you should always keep a backup of all your files before you attempt to download from unknown sites. Still, if your computer/ phone becomes infected with a virus, you should reset the device and format it to make sure it works fine from the next time onwards.
Signing Off
We have given you a few tips to remember while downloading videos from the internet. However, if any of these tips confuse you, don’t hesitate to let us know in the comment box.
If you follow these tips, we can guarantee that your device will be safe for much longer. Thus, it will be a good deal on your investment, and all your data will also be stored safely.
About The Author
Dan Taylor
Dan is responsible for content marketing and branding at GuestPostBlogging. He writes about topics related to startup naming, branding and entrepreneurship.
