Testing programs

[Nik]

Hi,

I just want to know if there is a safe way of testing programs that may or may or have a virus in it. Testing it somehow that won't infect your computer if it does. I have Anti-Virus programs, but just to be safe, how does one do this safely?

[[MPGH]Mayion]

You have a few options here, you could just use a Sandbox to control the program you're executing, will still have safe from viruses and such.
Sandboxie which I recommend. https://www.sandboxie.com/
You could also use a Virtual Machine (VM) if you want, any virus you run on that VM won't be able to escape/leak to your main hard drive so you will stay safe.

Note: Using only an anti-virus won't and will never keep you safe 100%. So don't blindly run any program thinking that your AV is the heaven-dropped tool that will keep you safe from any threat on the internet.

[Nik]

You have a few options here, you could just use a Sandbox to control the program you're executing, will still have safe from viruses and such.
Sandboxie which I recommend. https://www.sandboxie.com/
You could also use a Virtual Machine (VM) if you want, any virus you run on that VM won't be able to escape/leak to your main hard drive so you will stay safe.

Note: Using only an anti-virus won't and will never keep you safe 100%. So don't blindly run any program thinking that your AV is the heaven-dropped tool that will keep you safe from any threat on the internet.

I have sandboxie, but I wasn't sure if that'd leak into my main files/computer.

Also could you share your safety setup? Like the programs you have to keep yourself safe from virus, keyloggers etc etc.

[[MPGH]Mayion]

I have sandboxie, but I wasn't sure if that'd leak into my main files/computer.

Also could you share your safety setup? Like the programs you have to keep yourself safe from virus, keyloggers etc etc.

As I said above, use a VM to stay completely safe from viruses and such. Additionally, you could have SB running on your VM to get notified of anything the program is trying to do (ex. internet connection, file creation/deletion etc.). If you want to go even further in, you could use a Process monitor along with VM to see if the executable file does anything fishy.

[Nik]

As I said above, use a VM to stay completely safe from viruses and such. Additionally, you could have SB running on your VM to get notified of anything the program is trying to do (ex. internet connection, file creation/deletion etc.). If you want to go even further in, you could use a Process monitor along with VM to see if the executable file does anything fishy.

Do you have any virus/safety program recommendations?

[[MPGH]Mayion]

Do you have any virus/safety program recommendations?

This is the third time you ask the same question, but with a different style.
Want to feel ultimately safe? Have ESET, Microsoft Security Essentials and MalwareBytes running at the same time.. Nothing more really.