Downloads

The previous section focused on software. However the World Wide Web (or the “Internet” as many people consider both to be the same) contains many other things that people may want to have copies of such as:

 

• Material produced by governments, businesses and others posted online with the intention that it be shared and used – usually free of charge but may require some form of registration
• Legally licensed music, tutorials, photographs, magazines, newspapers, These usually require a payment or subscription
• Material that people are willing to share without restrictions g. blogs, cookery recipes, photographs and and all kind of other things
• Material that can be downloaded but doing so may infringe its copyright
• Material that can be downloaded at your own risk (inappropriate, illegal, malware, )

 

The first two categories can be assumed to have the lowest risk of malicious software. Some, particularly commercial websites may insert spyware and adware into your device. The remaining categories may provide items of questionable quality, as there are no editorial or quality controls in the Wide World Web where anyone can be a publisher.

 

Uploading, downloading and sharing copyrighted material (video, audio, electronic books, etc.) are widely practiced as well as illegal. Many governments are keen to put a stop to such practices through legislation, reporting by Internet Service Providers and law enforcement. Ask yourself if the savings achieved by not paying for a license are really worth the potential complications if caught.

 

The final category includes truly inappropriate material which, if found on one of your devices could ruin your life.

 

Why is this an issue?

First and foremost, every download introduces into your devices unknown elements, some of which may not be detectable and, if found, hard to remove. Good digital forensics can recover stuff that you may believe had been thoroughly removed from your devices. The consequences of finding them in your device are unknown until they hurt you.

Many download providers require you to provide personal details, usually an e-mail address and sometimes more to be registered.

 

What you should do about it

Downloads are an essential tool in cyberspace and, in principle, a useful one as they allow many good things to be shared. Good hygiene requires that:

 

The source of the download is known and trustworthy – such as a form from your tax authority or a document from a reputable vendor, a tutorial in electronic form for an electronic tutorial reader, etc. should all be considered to be OK.

 

You should ask yourself the question WHY is the item offered as a download – as a gift, as a well intentioned offer to share, as a means to gain revenue, as a means to collect your personal information, etc. If you don’t know much about the source, look them up using your search engine. After all, you tell your children not to accept sweets or car rides from strangers.