2 Questions about video porn

[kickassangel]

Sooo, I hear every so often that it's really easy to accidentally get porn on your computer, but just how easy is it?

I'm trying to do some video editing, and under MY downloads there are 2 pieces of porn (one fairly innocuous, one that is the kind to send you to jail). Now, we all use this laptop, but if dh were using my log in to download porn he'd be a complete idiot - he's a software guy, has two other laptops he uses that I can't even log onto, and his own log in for this laptop.

Even with all that in mind, he could, perhaps, have done that, but it seems unlikely.

They are both from aaages ago, and are in amongst some things I got as attachments from friends.

So am I an idiot to think they somehow got attached to something else, or do I need to speak to dh (who is not on the same continent as me atm)?

And how do I delete them so that there is NO record of them on my laptop, not ever?

"Sooo, I hear every so often that it's really easy to accidentally get porn on your computer, but just how easy is it?"

Actually no it's not that easy to have porn accidentally get onto your machine.

However...

If you use a Windows PC, if you don't keep Windows up to date, if you don't keep you anti-virus, anti-malware and firewall all up to date, if you're careless with your email address (this applies to non Windows machines as well), if you download things without thinking very carefully about what they are and if you click on links without thinking about what they might be then it's very plausible to get "bad" things on your computer.

So all things told on a Windows PC it's reasonably plausible to get something on it unintentionally. But that's a very good reminder to get everything up to date and to be careful.

On the other hand if you are good with security then, in theory, nothing should get on. My Windows PC, for example, is clean despite being used for at least an entire working week.

As to deleting the files well just delete them from the downloads folder. The browser that you're using might keep it's own track of downloads that can be cleared as well.

Thank you. We are pretty good at security but I am lazy about updates.

Thinking about it, they are both from a time when I got countless Viagra adds from a friend's email. I tend not to click on links but that may have caught me out to start with.

If this was anything other than an accident then not only would Dh be out the door, but I would need to ensure only supervised visits with dd. Mind you, he could be locked up for watching it, so that would be taken care of.

I will talk to him on his return, if only to improve security

"We are pretty good at security but I am lazy about updates."

The two do go hand in hand, especially on Windows PCs. You really are only as secure as your most recent update. That includes anti-virus, anti-malware, the firewall and Windows itself. Yes it is a lot of work, but that's how life is with Windows.

"Thinking about it, they are both from a time when I got countless Viagra adds from a friend's email. I tend not to click on links but that may have caught me out to start with."

That's the sort of thing that could do it.

Also do you have a dedicated malware scanner? If not something like this is free and good:
www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

ok, when I say 'we' are pretty good about security - I am v lazy, and dh does the lot. he spends his whole life doing techie stuff, so likes to be in charge to keep things up to his standards.

that's why i think it's so unlikely that he'd have done this - he knows a million different ways to view things without leaving a trace behind, so something that is months old and in with a load of my things makes no sense.

i shall get better at updates, especially when dh is away from home, as I tend to just assume that he'll do it for me!

Glad that there is a logical answer, and not the awful horror of him looking at that stuff. (I have absolutely no other grounds for suspicion btw, so really don't hear any ringing alarm bells)

thanks for your replies (should have said that earlier)