Monday Magic - Free Computer Virus Check App

When you receive a URL in an email or message, do you dither about it and wonder if you should delete it, open it, or just leave it alone?

That happens when I get jokes from a friend. It seems to be legit, but people can get their computers hacked, and the email that goes out is a lure to get someone to click it. Then your computer is also hacked.

If you're tempted for whatever reason to click a link or go to a website you don't know, the best practice is to check out the link, the file, or the website with VirusTotal, this week's app you should consider using.

Their mission statement is: "Analyse suspicious files, domains, IPs and URLs to detect malware and other breaches, automatically share them with the security community."

This free—for non-commercial use—app is easy to use. When the home page opens, you'll see the search bar at the top where you can enter a URL or IP address. In the middle of the page, you'll see the selections: File, URL, Search, and a box below to Choose File.

VirusTotal is like a second opinion to your antivirus software.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

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