Reply #44: "No Digital Signature"?

[UTUSN]

Downloaded the spyware and got a security warning that the publisher is unknown and there is no digital signature. Is this O.K.? My security message say this:

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Should you run downloaded software that has no valid digital signature?
Probably not. A valid digital signature identifies the publisher of the software and verifies that the software has not been tampered with since it was signed. Without a valid digital signature, you have no way to verify that the software is what it claims to be.

If you have software on your computer that you downloaded from the Internet, don't open or run it without asking these questions:

Did you ask for the software?

Did you click a link on a Web site to start this download, or did the software show up without any action on your part? If you did not start the download, you should be very cautious. If you don't need the software, cancel the download. If you choose to run the software, make sure you know what it is for and what it will do to your computer before you proceed.

Do you know who published the software?

If the file has no valid digital signature, you cannot be certain that the software is actually from the source it claims to be from, or that it has not been tampered with. You should not run the software unless you trust the publisher and know what the software will do to your computer.

Do you know what the file will do to your computer?

The Web site providing the file should tell you what the file is for and any special details you need to know about the file to run it. If this information is not available, you should be cautious about downloading the file.

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