It never fails. Every time something popular makes its way around the web, there is always someone (usually multiple someones) looking to gain victims out of it by piggybacking off a product’s popularity with malware, viruses, and other nefarious content. Since Windows 11 is currently big in the news, it was bound to have a target on its head. Because of this, there are fake installers circulating around the web that seek to infect your system vs providing you with the new OS (operating system) you might have been hoping to get your hands on. So it is important to understand how to properly look for the legitimate installation process and how to keep away from all of the fakes.
One of the most important tips to keep in mind is to stay away from any website or download service that is trying to offer you the new OS. Windows 11 is currently in its beta process of development. The only place to properly download it is from Microsoft through the Windows Insiders Program. If you want to learn how to do this, you can visit our tutorial here. It will properly walk you through (safely) getting the update straight from Microsoft.
Windows 11 isn’t available at any retailers (online or offline) at this time since it is still in development. You won’t find it in Best Buy or on Amazon until the operating system properly launches to the world as a finished product. So if you find anyone claiming to have it for sale, it is likely fake or an illegal copy. So again, Microsoft is the only place to get it from right now (and only if you are willing to install a beta version of an OS on your system).
Currently, there are many images of the OS floating around the internet that are infected with nefarious software and/or viruses. Some of them are riddled with infected content. Kaspersky just published an article on this yesterday focusing on the number of distributed images/installers the company’s antivirus software has blocked from systems that were trying to download it.
So be smart about where you find your software and make sure your antivirus software is up to date at all times. Don’t let the shadowy side of the internet make a victim out of you.
