Best Resource For Identifying Legit Applications?

bjb writes "While helping a somewhat computer illiterate person figure out a problem recently, they mentioned that PDF files had recently stopped working. Upon investigation I found something installed called 'PDF Suite.' Never having heard of it, I Googled it with 'malware' and other key words, but nothing turned up, though my suspicion remained (and was somewhat confirmed by WOT.) So my question is, where can you go to find out if something is legitimate? Because the person I'm helping is on a dial-up connection, downloading malware detection applications (and updates) is too heavy consider. And I don't maintain a USB stick with such apps, since I don't do this kind of thing very often. Where can you quickly find information?"

Comments

"to big to download"

[Sir_Lewk]

downloading malware detection applications (and updates) is too heavy consider.

Any yet they find the time to download all of that malware...

Re:"to big to download"

[Monkeedude1212]

Exactly. If you have the time to download an application you have time to download malware detection.

And really, what do you suppose you were going to do if Google did confirm it as Malware? You can't download anything and you don't have a USB stick with that stuff on it - in most cases you're pooched already.

It honestly sounds like either you or the person you're helping simply don't want to put in the effort in -actually- testing the machine for malware.

Assume malware

[c 0xFF]

If you've never heard of an application, assume that it's untrusted malware.

Linux has been pioneering a way around this through trusted software repositories, but the concept hasn't panned out for Windows yet.

Re:Assume malware

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

There are certainly costs to the strategy; but it is still a decent heuristic for somebody in the demographic we are talking about(ie. clueless, no broadband, probably no backups, or even system restore media).

New entrants will naturally attract the attention of the sort of savvy tech enthusiasts who follow news outlets and whatnot, and are arguably in a far superior position to evaluate for utility and nonmalice. Once they've rendered their verdict, the noobs can follow the received wisdom, or have it done for them.

"If you've never heard of an application, assume that it's untrusted malware." would make a shitty universal rule; but it is mostly a good idea in this context. Some people are better cut out to deal with technical risk than others. People with disposable VM appliances can do whatever they want. Noobs with dialup who will end up losing months of work, a week's use of their computer, and several hundred in Geek Squad fees if they do the wrong thing should probably stick to the beaten path.

Re:Does the vendor make md5 or sha1 hashes availab

[Dr_Barnowl]

Signed hashes only assure you of the source of the files. They don't in themselves provide any assurance of trust.

In the majority of these cases, the only thing it would achieve would be that you can state with some confidence that it's definitely the fault of a particular asshat.