On Windows, you have a program called Windows Defender that should be on by default. On Mac, you’ll need to use a third-party antivirus program like Malwarebytes or AVG.
You can read through this disclaimer and explanation of use before proceeding if you have any questions about how the test virus should be used.
If you’re on a Windows computer and your Windows Defender antivirus is enabled, the file won’t even be allowed to download. You can circumvent this by re-downloading the file several times in quick succession, clicking the Windows Defender pop-up notification, clicking the name of the file in the “Current threats” section, checking the “Allow on device” box, clicking Start actions, and clicking Allow when prompted.
If your antivirus scan still won’t pick up the file, you should invest in a different antivirus program.
You’ll also want to make sure that your computer doesn’t have any sensitive information (e. g. , credit card numbers, social security identification, payment records, etc. ) on it just in case your virus is able to copy the contents of your hard drive. Make sure that the computer or computers you are testing on are not connected to the Internet when you open an infected file. For greater security, test viruses using a virtual machine on a physical computer that is not connected to the internet.
Intentionally infecting someone’s computer with a virus is illegal in most countries. If you are trying to test your antivirus software, it is strongly recommended that you use the test file in the previous method.
In some cases, disabling your computer’s Firewall will also allow unauthorized users to gain access to your network.
Torrents are a very popular way to share these files. When browsing torrent sites, look for torrents with low ratings and comments from other users warning about viruses. These are the ones you want. P2P sharing programs are another popular way to spread viruses. Programs like Kazaa and Gnutella are some of the more popular options. Lots of websites, known as “warez” sites, will offer “free” downloads for virtually any program. These are almost always infected with viruses and adware, and the program itself rarely works.
Sometimes simply opening a spam email will be enough to contract a virus. For some spam emails, you’ll have to click a link in the email to prompt a virus file to download.
Sometimes simply opening a spam email will be enough to contract a virus. For some spam emails, you’ll have to click a link in the email to prompt a virus file to download.
Sometimes simply opening a spam email will be enough to contract a virus. For some spam emails, you’ll have to click a link in the email to prompt a virus file to download.
This method will typically only work for Windows computers, as the screensaver (. scr) files will usually only be executable on a Windows computer.
