# Ways to absolutely confirm a download link? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049 "2013-04-18T17:10:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/1 "2013-04-18T17:10:55Z")
I was having trouble installing the newest version of Flash on my computer because of a general installation error. I got a direct download link for it from the official Adobe forums, and stupidly used it before I really did the research. The following is the link, copied and pasted from the post, broken just in case: (http:// [fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/licensing/mac/install\_flash\_player\_11\_osx.dmg](http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/licensing/mac/install_flash_player_11_osx.dmg)) Now, I did the research after, and I did find one Adobe staff member who posted what appeared to be the same link (I know you can do tricks to make symbols look like letters and stuff). I checked for the Trojan mentioned a year or two ago, and couldn’t find any sign of it when using the Terminal commands [suggested by CNet](http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20119265-263/latest-adobe-flash-trojan-for-os-x-gets-revised/), and I can’t find any sign of the link or of another Trojan it could possibly be. Generally, my research seems to indicate that it’s legit and without any tricks, but I want to be certain. What’s the best way to absolutely confirm the link? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/2 "2013-04-18T17:15:17Z")
You can be reasonably sure that the link is legitimate, since the domain ([macromedia.com](http://macromedia.com)) is correct. Nothing before or after that really matters. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/3 "2013-04-18T17:24:49Z")
OK, I suspected that (though Googling the domain had some Russian words in the Google result, which made me nervous), but I thought I recalled tricks that enabled you to put in Unicode symbols (or something like that) in place of letters to create a good-looking URL. Am I misremembering? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/4 "2013-04-18T17:36:25Z")
In addition, I might just do a quick download of the free version of some OSX malware scanner just to do a check. Suggestions on legit and reliable ones? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/5 "2013-04-18T17:39:40Z")
I believe that the “unicode spoofing” vulnerability has been fixed in all modern browsers. If you are really concerned, you can download ClamAV, and use it to scan your machine. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/6 "2013-04-18T17:53:43Z")
I’ve been looking over ClamAV’s website, and it seems a little intimidating. Can a not very program-y type like myself use it? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/7 "2013-04-18T17:57:36Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > I’ve been looking over ClamAV’s website, and it seems a little intimidating. Can a not very program-y type like myself use it? Yeah, it’s just an App. Download it, install it, and run it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/8 "2013-04-18T18:03:55Z")
OK. I also found ClamXav on the app store. Thanks for the aid! ---
**Author:** ![1jow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/dbc845/32.png) [@1jow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1jow)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/9 "2013-04-18T19:41:55Z")
Where can I find free simple, basic video clip editing software (short .mpg files from Sony DSC-H55 Digital Cybershot? I am trying to edit light into a short clip of our Granddaughter stating to crawl. I have tried the following that will work on Pics vs Video Clips: 1. Windows Movie Maker, works cropping videos vs adding light. 2. PhotoBucket, free ver. works editing Pics. 3. Sony PMB that came with the Sony DSC-H55 Camera might do the job if I could understand the software. Help! 4. Photoshop 7, works good with Pics but I have not seen any video editing options. I hate the word “Free” and my ref is a small editor out there in applications, etc vs a Pro Ver. Thanks In Advance! ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/10 "2013-04-18T19:50:23Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > OK, I suspected that (though Googling the domain had some Russian words in the Google result, which made me nervous), but I thought I recalled tricks that enabled you to put in Unicode symbols (or something like that) in place of letters to create a good-looking URL. Am I misremembering? I guess you could manually retype all the letters of the URL into the address bar instead of clicking on a link or copy-and-pasting. This will make sure you go to the address that you think you are reading rather than some secret behind-the-scenes address. Or make sure you go to the official Adobe web site and download it from the Adobe download page. I almost gave you a hotlink to that page, but to be secure you should find it for yourself and not trust my links. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-absolutely-confirm-a-download-link/656049/11 "2013-04-18T20:29:43Z")
Well, the reason I needed to find the link in the first place was because the packages I was getting from the Adobe download page weren’t working. And yeah, I should’ve done the manual typing thing, but since it’s too late, I don’t think it would help me confirm in this circumstance.