Malware is the blight of the Cyberspace. Seriously, few things on the web are equally dangerous as contracting malware, and few things are as time-consuming as the process of malware removal. Avoid at all toll.

Merely here'southward the affair most malware: It's not plenty to install a top-notch security suite. Yous'll accept to modify your bad security habits and first doing what the experts practise.

And if at that place's ane addiction that you must kill as soon as possible, information technology's the carefree downloading of software from any and all sites. Today, free software download sites are one of the nigh common sources of bloatware and fifty-fifty malware.

1. CNET Download

Go effectually and ask people what they call up of CNET Download -- the site formerly known every bit Download.com -- and near of them will probably tell you lot to stay away. You should heed that advice if y'all know what's expert for you.

CNET Download has been around since 1996, making it xx years old at the time of this writing. It used to exist the virtually popular download destination on the web, merely in those two decades, the site has really gone downhill.

bad-download-cnet-download

In 2011, the site introduced a download managing director programme called CNET TechTracker that was allegedly full of toolbars and bloatware, which was so bad that it was eventually flagged past security suites. Then in 2015, malware was establish to be arranged with their installer files.

Can yous download files safely from CNET Download? Yes, you tin, but it'southward risky. Few people trust CNET Download anymore and using the site is akin to crossing a minefield. Your next step could be your last.

ii. Tucows

Tucows is another free download site in the vein of CNET Download. What's funny is that Tucows is actually older than CNET Download -- by near 3 years. Started in 1993, Tucows is ane of the oldest download sites in the world.

In 2008, Tucows announced that they would exist shifting focus abroad from software downloads to diversify their business organization. It would go on to launch the Ting mobile service network, among other concern ventures.

bad-download-tucows

Since shifting focus, Tucows has been involved in a few malware-related incidents. For case, in 2010, it served malvertisements to visitors. And in 2015, Emsisoft found that Tucows served the most potentially unwanted programs with its downloads.

We recommend staying away. There are meliorate sites out there with more than upward-to-date repositories and less malware to worry most.

3. Softonic

Not to be confused with Softpedia, which is by and large reputable for what it is, Softonic is another aboriginal download site that has been around for a long time -- since 1997 -- and it's actually foreign, based in Espana.

Starting in 2009, Softonic spearheaded several different distribution models, including the Softonic Toolbar and the Softonic Downloader. Even when users opted out, they were blasted with these kinds of unwanted programs, which is why Softonic has such a poor reputation now.

bad-download-softonic

In 2015, the co-founder of CNET Download became the new CEO of Softonic. The Toolbar and Downloader were immediately dismantled and the site promised to dedicate itself to clean and safety software, only it's still too early to tell.

Because how poorly CNET Download has performed in terms of delivering clean and rubber software, we recommend treating Softonic with similar caution and avoiding information technology until the site proves itself and walks the talk.

4. Public Torrent Trackers

Despite what a lot of people think, torrenting itself isn't actually illegal. Indeed, at that place are plenty of legal torrents out in that location and they're all valid and legitimate. But permit's exist existent: if y'all torrent, you're probably doing it illegally.

We don't condone the practice, just if you are going to download torrents, heed this warning. Public torrent tracker sites like ThePirateBay may contain malware.

bad-download-torrent-sites

For example, malvertising is a large concern where advertisements are used to distribute malware. Malware tin can too exist within false torrent downloads. If yous download a movie and it says you demand to install a special video codec, that "codec" is probably malware.

Co-ordinate to a 2015 study, users are 28 times more probable to contract malware from torrent sites than mainstream websites.

Long story short, torrents are risky. The risk goes down if you switch to using private torrent trackers but even those tin exist dangerous, if you aren't careful.

5. File Hosting Services

Piracy exists in many forms. Torrenting is the near controversial and public form, of course, but file hosting sites brand up a huge clamper of the piracy realm. Remember the now-defunct MegaUpload? Yeah, those sites.

Similar torrent sites, file hosting sites are prone to malvertising attacks and downloads that contain malware, but they also have a third form of malware distribution: the fake download button.

bad-download-file-hosting-sites

We've all seen it before. Y'all search for a pirated copy of a book or music anthology, for case, and go far at a site similar Turbobit or HugeFiles -- merely to see DOWNLOAD HERE all over the place. Hither's a expert dominion of thumb:

The bigger the download button, the faker it is.

We've written before on how to spot and avoid faux download buttons but these tricksters are constantly evolving and getting more deceptive. The only foolproof way to protect yourself is to avoid file hosting sites altogether.

6. Warez Substitution Forums

This ane is sort of a corollary to the indicate directly above, but you should avoid warez sites equally much as y'all can. For those who don't know, warez are a form of piracy that mainly involves croaky software.

bad-download-warez-forums

Warez are normally exchanged within a community, though these communities tin can be publicly attainable through search engines. Most often, warez exchanges exist equally forums but use various file hosting services for the actual sharing.

The threats are the same here: malvertising, false warez, and infected warez downloads.

7. The Windows Store

In that location are then many reasons not to use the Windows Store. The lack of many important and pop apps is a huge downside, but there's likewise a plethora of dead and abandoned apps that simply don't work anymore.

Merely about of all, it seems equally if the Windows Store isn't equally impervious to malware as in one case hoped.

bad-download-windows-store

The two biggest selling points of the Windows Store are: 1, it's highly regulated to filter out scamware and malware, and two, apps run in a sandbox to foreclose them from gaining access to system files and processes.

Well, we've known for a while that the Windows Shop is full of scamware and deceptive apps, but the sandbox aspect has been pretty skillful... up until now, at least.

Non long ago, ZDNet discovered a Windows Store app that used an in-app advertising to download unwanted software. Microsoft is doing its best to solve this security hole, simply for at present, you may desire to avert downloading anything from the Windows Store.

Which Download Sites Do You lot Avoid?

This isn't a comprehensive list, but it's an important starting point. Also many sites out there can deliver malicious trojans and worms to your estimator and it's your duty to be wary and vigilant. You can plow to the safest software download sites, but they're non perfect, either. Do remain cautious!

What should yous do when you discover malware on your system? Follow our step-by-step guide to fighting a malware infection.

Now you tell us: which nasty download sites exercise you avert at all toll? What's the worst bit of malware you lot've e'er contracted? Share with us downward in the comments!

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