The internet is awash with files containing viruses, so when your computer tells you that youâve downloaded malware, itâs sensible to take heed of the warning. Sometimes, however, Windows (or your antivirus software), gets it wrong and marks a safe program or file as malicious. Known as âfalse positivesâ, these alerts can stop you running software thatâs completely harmless.
False positives can occur for several reasons. As we explain later, problems with the softwareâs digital signature is a common cause, but a programâs ability to perform certain tasks can also mark it as suspect. A number of tools developed by NirSoft for recovering lost passwords (www.snipca.com/33677), for example, are often flagged as dangerous by antivirus software because they could be used maliciously, even if you have no plans to doâŠ
