Just as we depend on our computers for fun and entertainment, we simultaneously depend on software installed on that computer to protect it against persistent Internet threats. Our computers have become indispensable for both work and play, and we ought never risk the health of our PC's by downloading programs that could be dangerous to them. Knowing that, we need to be observant for indicators of potential harm when downloading files from web sites.

Using computer security software is the only efficient means of making sure we can accomplish this. Installing protection for a computer helps to divert most of the harmful threats while allowing valuable programs and to be used without a looming sense of pending disaster. That alone is sufficient reason to learn to identify signs of a suspicious download.

To begin, if you use Internet Explorer (IE), your settings must be configured to automatically detect whether a downloadable program arrives complete with a certificate of authenticity, which means that it is legitimate. When set properly, Internet Explorer will prompt you when a file to be downloaded is missing this certificate or if it can't determine the source of the download. Armed with that information, you can then simply cancel the download prior to starting.

You also want to ensure that IE prompts you if a program is missing its end-user license agreement. This is particularly important since this helps to indicate that the file is not safe for most computers. Of course if you already have an antivirus program on your system, then chances are good that little - if any - damage will be incurred. Nevertheless, you should not take the chance when it just isn't necessary. Too much of your valuable data is then put at risk of loss or permanent damage.

Lastly, you need to be cautious of offers that lure you by offering something free as the download. Frequently these are bogus offers that simply take advantage of your interest in good deals, and you wind up downloading spyware that can negatively affect your computer's speed. While you then endure sluggish computer performance, the spyware is busy collecting personal information about web sites you visit, then enabling others to send you targeted spam (unwanted email) time and again. If a download deal sounds too good to be true, then it usually is.

It is normally safe to download files from reputable web sites. However if you are unsure of a site or do not know what you are downloading, you are much better off being cautious and avoiding it altogether.