Download Safety

[Trojanator]

Hi,

I am suffering from sociopathic paranoia after my first serious cookie infection. I am wary of taking anything off of Download.com without being able to scan the files first.

Is there a way to scan a file with SpyBot 1.4 before I download or run a file from CNET?

I know I can do scans with McAfee, but that system let the cookie infection in in the first place.

I want a program that will let me know my phone is ringing while I'm on the web but not at the risk of opening my system to another hack.

thanks

[Zenobia]

If you mean can you rightclick a file and have Spybot scan it,no.
You could get it to scan a download folder though:
http://www.spybot.info/en/faq/15.html
That's at mode->advanced mode->settings->Directories.
And you can block cookies with your browser:
http://www.spybot.info/en/faq/37.html

[Trojanator]

Thanks for your reply.

Everything about SpyBot is simple when you know the navigation tricks.

I did have an HP moment of You-Can't-Get-There-From-Here with the Spybot FAQs. From one particular page, there is an Alice in Wonderland menu to nowhere but I got to your links through the main page. I'm glad you showed those to me because I had a host of other questions that I really didn't want to bother the forum with because it seems the staff has more pressing matters.

Part of my paranoia comes from being a user and not saavy about whether a file is dangerous because it is simply downloaded or if it has to be run to infect.

Regarding cookies ----- I would not be in such bad shape if it was not for McAfee requiring me to lower my threshold. I really think these companies want you to get infected so that they can get more cash. After I got hacked, McAfee won't even recognize my cookies even though I have them on the allowed list, so I can't even get to their tech support.

I'm going to switch to Norton unless there is something better.

Thanks for letting me bend your ear.