Is it safe to load down fonts?

[xyzuser]

Sorry if this is a silly question but is it safe to load down fonts from sites that list many specialized fonts or is it making an exposure for a virus possibly coming down with it? I'd be reluctant to download it from a someone's private site but are sites like these (e.g. typenow.net ) reliable ?

Thanks

 

[Grenage]

Scan them with a virus scanner.

"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area" - Major Mike Shearer

 

[BadBigBen]

as long as you have an up to date viral scanner, your OS is up to date, and active firewall, this limits the possibility to become infected, but does not guarantee that you will not be infected by a malicious provider...

the good news is that not everyone is malicious and is out to harm you...

Fonts, aren't executable they are just data files... so if you come across any fonts that have an exe extension, then I would stay away from it...

about typenow.net that is an indexing site, which leads to a pay-download most of the time...

here is an alternative, which sofar is clean, which lists FREE and SHAREware fonts:

http://www.1001freefonts.com/

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[sggaunt]

As well as the check that you AV will do during the download also do this..

Probably the fonts come in a zipped folder.
Most AV programs will add a 'scan with' option to the right click menu.
If you have one of these (you should have), right click on the the zip/archive and choose to do a scan.



Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain

 

[Salem]

Almost all complex file formats are potentially dangerous.

http://search.securityfocus.com/swsearch?sbm=/&metaname=alldoc&query=font&x=0&y=0

--
If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.

 

[BadBigBen]

Salem - thanks for that... interesting read...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.