You can 'resolve' shortened URLs before opening them using these services: Don't enter those links into your browser or scan QR codes by your smartphone unless you know exactly what you are doing. Malicious URLs can be encoded as QR codes or printed out, including in a form of 'shortened' URLs generated by services such as, bit.ly, ow.ly etc.Use Virustotal to scan suspicious links the same way you scan files. Or right-click on the link and copy it to the text editor to see its actual address. In web-browsers and email programs hover the mouse cursor over the link (don't click) and wait for a while before the real URL pops up. Malicious URLs can 'masked' by arbitrary text in HTML files, documents and emails.Use HTTPS and verify SSL certificate of the web-site to ensure it is not cloned or spoofed. Always check web-site domain names before clicking the links: attackers could mangle the domain name for it to look familiar:, etc. Don't open suspicious URL links, especially those pointing to web-sites you don't normally visit.While it is much more efficient than scanning files offline, consider the fact that you need to disclose the file to a third party. Use Virustotal to verify any file by scanning it by more than 50 antiviruses at the same time. Sometimes it's hard to tell malicious files from legitimate ones under time pressure.MS Office documents, especially with macros: doc/docx/docm, xls/xslx/xslm etc.Īrchives of these files, especially password-protected. For example, if you have received a Word document via email, contact the sender by an Instant Messenger or by phone and verify the reason for sending it.Īny executable files: exe, com, bat, ps1, swf, jar etc. Verify file origin by the means other than media used to receive it. Send unwanted emails to spam folder before reading – files or links from people you don't know should be treated as malicious by default. Don't open suspicious files, email attachments, or archived documents, if you do not completely trust the source they are originating from. Rule of thumb: if you are not expecting it, it is suspicious.
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