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How do professionals confirm if a third party app is safe?

  • 02-01-2018 1:22pm
    #1
    BigEejit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,739 ✭✭✭


    I just installed Windows 10 1709 (fall creators update) and wanted to get rid of all the annoying/privacy breaching 'features'. Its like browsing without an ad filter, freaking annoying to use.

    I found an excellent guide to clearing out the rubbish at https://fdossena.com/?p=w10debotnet/index_1709.frag but to use the guide it asks that I install "Install_Wim_Tweak" which looks like it was created by users on the MyDigitalLife forum.

    My question is, how do you check that the app is safe in a home environment, where using expensive software is not always possible?
    In this case I put the executable into virustotal, searched for the app using various search engines etc. In this case its a very well known app and has a lot of results, I could not confirm file size and date, signature etc and virustotal is clear.

    Is there anything else I should be doing to confirm its safe?


Comments

  • #2
    ED E
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,170 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    If signed windows will check the sig for you. Then you know "who" made it. Then you determine if you trust them, same way you make that decision when giving your details to FB or any other service.

    As to thorough checks, code audits are very rare. If you were bothered you can tap its connections to see what its up to regarding the outside world.


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