How to scan downloads for viruses – StartupSmart

Internet users are often told to regularly check links before clicking on them because they may contain viruses. But how do you check?

Virus Total is an online service that allows users to check downloads for viruses, using dozens of different tools. Even if you’re downloading a document file, you should scan them through here.

Whenever you see something you need to download online, right click and hit “copy link address”. Then, go to virustotal.com and paste the link in the “Submit URL” tab.

The site will quickly release a report on the URL to see if it has been listed as a malicious site. If it comes back clean, your file should be safe to download. However, you can still click on the “view downloaded file analysis” button, which will provide you with a list of details on the content.