Question About downloads.cnet.com

Some time ago I stopped trusting downloads.cnet.com because of the first 3 programs I downloaded from them, two of them triggered alerts from ESET Antivirus when I launched the installers. More recently I decided to try them again as a last resort, and ESET blocked the last 3 downloads I attempted, including IrfanView and the Nero InfoTool. I downloaded IrfanView directly from the IrfanView site and the Nero InfoTool from Lenovo, and I've had no problems with either program. I exchanged a few e-mails with Mr. Skiljan at IrfanView, and he insists that he can't find any problem with the cnet site, and the problem must be with ESET. The McAfee TrustedSource site and the Malware Domain List site have no indication of anything wrong with the cnet site. I'm not quite certain which information to trust, so before I contact the appropriate site(s) to suggest data base changes, is there some other way to verify the information or misinformation I've been getting? (Sorry about posting so many questions lately, but I've encountered more than the usual number of issues lately.

When in doubt go to the software makers site and download software from there and not CNET.

Most hosting sites are notorious for this type of behavior.

Heres What Happens When You Install the Top 10 Download.com Apps

Borg 386 said:

Most hosting sites are notorious for this type of behavior.

Heres What Happens When You Install the Top 10 Download.com Apps

Thanks. Having read that, I think I'm going to keep trusting ESET, and ignore anyone who tells me different.

DavidE said:

Unfortunately some programs i use do use CNET for the download location, from the Vendor's download link.
When i see that, i look for an alternative site to download from.
Often i find a download at MajorGeeks, and download the installer from there.
No matter where i download from, i scan it with my AV, MBAM, and VirusTotal.

Thanks. I have been scanning everything I download; even stuff from this site and Microsoft. Also, you forgot to suggest scanning the whole computer after installing new software.

whs said:

Right - Majorgeeks is a good address for downloads. And Cnet.com would not be one of my choices.

Thanks. I used to use MajorGeeks with my last computer, but that was 11 years ago, and until yesterday, I didn't know that they were still around.