Downloading photos from the Internet is generally safe as image files do not contain executable code. However, viruses can disguise themselves as image files and some websites may contain malware. Copyright laws should also be considered when downloading photos for personal or commercial use.
Downloading photos from the Internet probably won’t harm a computer because image files contain no executable code, thus making it virtually impossible for a virus to hide within an image. Sometimes viruses can look like image files using double file extensions like “file.jpg.exe” and some image hosting websites can also contain malware. Users should also be aware of copyright law when downloading photos for personal or commercial use.
Computer files may contain executable code that runs as a program or static information intended to be read by other software. Image files fall into the latter category and were not designed to contain executable code. Because viruses, worms, and other forms of malware run as executable programs, it’s unlikely that someone trying to download photos will put their computer at risk. It’s at least theoretically possible for an attacker to create a deliberately corrupted image file that would crash or manipulate the program by opening the file, but this type of attack is very rare.
A more significant threat comes from executable programs masquerading as image files, a tactic used by some virus and malware writers to disguise their malicious creations. A virus particularly effective in this type of deception spread via e-mail messages with an attachment named “AnnaKournikova.jpg.vbs”. Although the file name contained “.jpg”, which is a valid extension for an image, the actual file extension was “.vbs”, an executable format. As a result, anyone who tried to download the Russian tennis star’s photos was actually opening a virus that sent copies of itself to each entry in the user’s address book. True image files will just end in “.jpg”, “.gif” or “.png”. All other extensions should be avoided.
Some websites that offer the ability to download photos may secretly attempt to install malware or spyware on a user’s system. These sites may be set up with the intention of targeting visitors or they may be legitimate sites that have been hacked. Common-sense security precautions like keeping your software up-to-date can help alleviate the risk of malware infection.
Even if they’re found through a search engine or viewed on a public website, it’s also important to realize that images on the Internet may be protected by copyright law. Downloading these photos for a school presentation, sharing them with friends, or using them on your website could be a form of copyright infringement. It is especially important to determine the copyright status of an image if it will be used for commercial purposes. Some websites publish content with a less restrictive license that allows users to download photos for certain uses. A search for “Creative Commons” or “public domain images” can help keep users out of trouble.
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