How can you tell if a file is malware?

[GN48]

Hi everyone, just wandering if you could tell, without executing it if it's a exe file or using it if it's other type files, if a file you download from the internet is a virus/malware/spyware/backdoor/(the rest of the nasty things) that can harm your computer? Yes I know, scan it with your AV, but AVs can never ever be 100% that the file(s) it scan is not virus/malware/spyware/backdoor/(the rest of the nasty things). It can get up 75% close to all those.

 

[DelJo63]

you understand perfectly -- you can tell by just looking and A/V based upon signatures is inaccurate and too late.

There are some obvious names (eg: foo.txt.scr which is a screen saver and not a text file)
and obvious locations to be aware of ( http://www.xxx.yyy.zzz/www.microsoft.com/update
which is not MS but some other server at www.xxx.yyy.zzz ip address attempting to fool you).

but in the final analysis, the best we have right now is A/V + resident scanners + link scanners.

You can also try a simple google using only the FILENAME.EXT as you've found it and see if anyone has reported that file.

You've tumbled into the differnce between Reactive vs Pro-Active protection.
see https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic103937.html#13 and follow the links

 

[Bobbye]

Most of what you've asked in the 20 plus threads you've started in the last 4 weeks can be found by doing a simple search on Google.

Or in a reference book.

 

[dividebyzero]

Most of what you've asked in the 20 plus threads you've started in the last 4 weeks can be found by doing a simple search on Google.

Or in a reference book.

Ah, but there's no fun unless you're tying up a forum with aimless prattle.

@GN48
Here's a radical idea.....Download from REPUTABLE SITES only, and if you receive an executable file unsolicited, DUMP IT.

 

[jonly2009]

go to scan with

http://www.virustotal.com

it has 41 antivirus product to check malware.

 

[GN48]

the best we have right now is A/V + resident scanners + link scanners.

That's exactly what AVG 9 Free has!

Those Link Scanners sometimes can give false positives and also do the opposite.

So I'm safe as I have them? I guess I'm like you jobeard, Pro-active!