Learn about Apple on CNET. Read the most important product reviews and follow the tech news and more. Find Apple software downloads at CNET Download.com, the most comprehensive source for safe, trusted, and spyware-free downloads on the Web.
Downloads | |
Owner | Red Ventures |
---|---|
Created by | CNET |
URL | download.cnet.com |
Commercial | Yes |
Registration | Optional |
Launched | February 24, 1996; 24 years ago[1] |
Current status | Active |
Download.com is an Internetdownload directory website launched in 1996 as a part of CNET. Originally, the domain was download.com, which became download.com.com for a while, and is now download.cnet.com. The domain download.com attracted at least 113 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com study.[2]
Overview[edit]
The offered content is available in four major categories: software (including Windows, Mac and mobile), music, games, and videos, offered for download via FTP from Download.com's servers or third-party servers. Videos are streams (at present) and music was all free MP3 downloads, or occasionally rights-managedWMAs or streams until it was replaced with last.fm.
The Software section includes over 100,000 freeware, shareware, and try-first downloads. Downloads are often rated and reviewed by editors and contain a summary of the file from the software publisher. Registered users may also write reviews and rate the product. Software publishers are permitted to distribute their titles via CNET's Upload.com site for free, or for a fee structure that offers enhancements.
Up until 2015 CNet used Spigot Inc to monetize the traffic to download.com. According to Sean Murphy, then a General Manager at CNet , 'Spigot continues to be a great partner to Download.com, sharing our desire to balance customer experience with revenue.'[3]
Malware distribution[edit]
In August 2011, Download.com introduced an installation manager called CNET TechTracker for delivering many of the software titles from its catalog.[4] This installer included trojans and bloatware, such as toolbars.[5][6][7] CNET admitted in their download FAQ that 'a small number of security publishers have flagged the Installer as adware or a potentially unwanted application'.[8]
Macbook scanner software. In December 2011, Gordon Lyon, writing under his pseudonym Fyodor wrote of his strong dislike of the installation manager and the bundled software. His post was very popular on social networks, and was reported by a few dozen media. The main problem is the confusion between the content offered on Download.com[9][10][unreliable source?] and the software offered by the original authors; the accusations included deception as well as copyright and trademark violation.[10]
In 2014, The Register and US-CERT warned that via download.com's 'foistware', an 'attacker may be able to download and execute arbitrary code'.[11] In 2015, research by Emsisoft suggested that all free download providers bundled their downloads with potentially unwanted software, and that Download.com was the worst offender.[12]
Cnet Apple Watch Review
A study done by How-To Geek in 2015 revealed that Download.com was packaging malware inside their installers. Pdf file software download for pc windows 10. The test was done in a virtual machine where the testers downloaded the Top 10 apps. These all contained crapware/malware; one example was the KMPlayer installer, which installed a rogue antivirus named 'Pro PC Cleaner' and attempted to execute WajamPage.exe
. Some downloads, specifically YTD, were completely blocked by Avast.[13]
Another study done by How-To Geek in 2015 revealed that Download.com was installing fake SSL certificates inside their installers, similar to the LenovoSuperfish certificate. These fake certificates can completely compromise SSL encryption and allow man-in-the-middle attacks.[14]
However, in July 2016, How-To Geek discovered that Download.com no longer included adware/malware in its downloads and that its Installer program had been discontinued.[15]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Download.com WHOIS, DNS, & Domain Info - DomainTools'. WHOIS. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
- ^'Download.com attracts over 100m visitors yearly'. Archived from the original on 2011-08-13. Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ^'Search Extensions'. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^'Download App - Free download and software reviews - CNET Download.com'. Cnet.com. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
- ^'Download.com wraps downloads in bloatware, lies about motivations'. ExtremeTech. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
- ^Neal, Dave (December 6, 2011). 'Cnet is accused of bundling malware with downloads'. The Inquirer. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^Parrish, Kevin (December 7, 2011). 'CNET Accused of Bundling Software Downloads with Trojans'. Tom's Guide. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^CNET Download Installer
- ^Brian Krebs (2011-12-06). 'Download.com Bundling Toolbars, Trojans?'. Krebs on security. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
- ^ abGordon Lyon (2012-06-27). 'Download.com Caught Adding Malware to Nmap & Other Software'. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
we suggest avoiding CNET Download.com entirely
- ^Darren Pauli (2014-07-08). 'Insecure AVG search tool shoved down users' throats, says US CERT'. The Register. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
Sneaky 'foistware' downloads install things you never asked for
- ^'Mind the PUP: Top download portals to avoid'. EMSISOFT. March 11, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
- ^Lowell Heddings (2015-01-11). 'Here's What Happens When You Install The Top 10 Download.com Apps'. How-To Geek. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
- ^Lowell Heddings (2015-02-23). 'Download.com and Others Bundle Superfish-Style HTTPS Breaking Adware'. How-To Geek. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- ^Chris Hoffman (2016-07-27). 'Download.com Has Finally Stopped Bundling Crapware'. How-To Geek. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
iTunes is going places.
Download macOS Catalina for an all‑new entertainment experience. Your music, TV shows, movies, podcasts, and audiobooks will transfer automatically to the Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Podcasts, and Apple Books apps where you'll still have access to your favorite iTunes features, including purchases, rentals, and imports.
Cnet Apple Ipad
You can always download iTunes 12.8 for previous versions of macOS,
as well as the iTunes application for Windows.
Hardware:
- Mac computer with an Intel processor
- To play 720p HD video, an iTunes LP, or iTunes Extras, a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor is required
- To play 1080p HD video, a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor and 2GB of RAM is required
- Screen resolution of 1024x768 or greater; 1280x800 or greater is required to play an iTunes LP or iTunes Extras
- Internet connection to use Apple Music, the iTunes Store, and iTunes Extras
- Apple combo drive or SuperDrive to create audio, MP3, or backup CDs; some non-Apple CD-RW recorders may also work. Songs from the Apple Music catalog cannot be burned to a CD.
Software: Stream directv on apple tv.
- OS X version 10.10.5 or later
- 400MB of available disk space
- Apple Music, iTunes Store, and iTunes Match availability may vary by country
- Apple Music trial requires sign-up and is available for new subscribers only. Plan automatically renews after trial.
iTunes
Download the latest version for Windows.
The latest entertainment apps now come installed with macOS Catalina. Upgrade today to get your favorite music, movies, TV shows, and podcasts. You can join Apple Music and stream — or download and play offline — over 70 million songs, ad‑free.
iTunes
Download the latest version from the Microsoft Store.
Hardware:
- PC with a 1GHz Intel or AMD processor with support for SSE2 and 512MB of RAM
- To play standard-definition video from the iTunes Store, an Intel Pentium D or faster processor, 512MB of RAM, and a DirectX 9.0–compatible video card is required
- To play 720p HD video, an iTunes LP, or iTunes Extras, a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor, 1GB of RAM, and an Intel GMA X3000, ATI Radeon X1300, or NVIDIA GeForce 6150 or better is required
- To play 1080p HD video, a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor, 2GB of RAM, and an Intel GMA X4500HD, ATI Radeon HD 2400, or NVIDIA GeForce 8300 GS or better is required
- Screen resolution of 1024x768 or greater; 1280x800 or greater is required to play an iTunes LP or iTunes Extras
- 16-bit sound card and speakers
- Internet connection to use Apple Music, the iTunes Store, and iTunes Extras
- iTunes-compatible CD or DVD recorder to create audio CDs, MP3 CDs, or backup CDs or DVDs. Songs from the Apple Music catalog cannot be burned to a CD.
Software:
- Windows 10
- 64-bit editions of Windows require the iTunes 64-bit installer
- 400MB of available disk space
- Some third-party visualizers may no longer be compatible with this version of iTunes. Please contact the developer for an updated visualizer that is compatible with iTunes 12.1 or later.
- Apple Music, iTunes Store, and iTunes Match availability may vary by country
- Apple Music trial requires sign-up and is available for new subscribers only. Plan automatically renews after trial.
iTunes is going places.
Visit the iTunes Store on iOS to buy and download your favorite songs, TV shows, movies, and podcasts. You can also download macOS Catalina for an all-new entertainment experience on desktop. Your library will transfer automatically to the new Apple Music app, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. And you'll still have access to your favorite iTunes features, including your previous iTunes Store purchases, rentals, and imports and the ability to easily manage your library.
Music, TV, and podcasts
take center stage.
iTunes forever changed the way people experienced music, movies, TV shows, and podcasts. It all changes again with three all-new, dedicated apps — Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts — each designed from the ground up to be the best way to enjoy entertainment on your Mac. And rest assured; everything you had in your iTunes library is still accessible in each app. iCloud seamlessly syncs everything across your devices — or you can back up, restore, and sync by connecting the device directly to your Mac.
The new Apple Music app is the ultimate music streaming experience on Mac.1 Explore a library of over 70 million songs, discover new artists and tracks, find the perfect playlist, download and listen offline, or enjoy all the music you've collected over the years. And find it all in your music library on all your devices.
The Apple TV app for Mac is the new home for all your favorite movies, shows, premium channels, and Apple TV+. Watch everything directly in the app or enjoy it offline, and discover the best of what's on in the Watch Now tab. You can even pick up where you left off on any screen, across all your devices. And for the first time, 4K2 and Dolby Atmos3-supported movies are available on Mac.
More than 700,000 of the best entertainment, comedy, news, and sports shows are now available on your Mac with Apple Podcasts. Search for podcasts by title, topic, guest, host, content, and more. Subscribe and be notified as soon as new episodes become available. And in the Listen Now tab, you can easily pick up where you left off across all your devices.
iTunes Support can help answer your questions
Cnet Apple Downloads Windows 10
Get help with syncing, updating to a more recent version of iTunes, or with an iTunes Store purchase — and much more.
Learn moreLooking for a previous version of iTunes?
Download earlier versions of iTunes to work with compatible operating systems and hardware.
Software: Stream directv on apple tv.
- OS X version 10.10.5 or later
- 400MB of available disk space
- Apple Music, iTunes Store, and iTunes Match availability may vary by country
- Apple Music trial requires sign-up and is available for new subscribers only. Plan automatically renews after trial.
iTunes
Download the latest version for Windows.
The latest entertainment apps now come installed with macOS Catalina. Upgrade today to get your favorite music, movies, TV shows, and podcasts. You can join Apple Music and stream — or download and play offline — over 70 million songs, ad‑free.
iTunes
Download the latest version from the Microsoft Store.
Hardware:
- PC with a 1GHz Intel or AMD processor with support for SSE2 and 512MB of RAM
- To play standard-definition video from the iTunes Store, an Intel Pentium D or faster processor, 512MB of RAM, and a DirectX 9.0–compatible video card is required
- To play 720p HD video, an iTunes LP, or iTunes Extras, a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor, 1GB of RAM, and an Intel GMA X3000, ATI Radeon X1300, or NVIDIA GeForce 6150 or better is required
- To play 1080p HD video, a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor, 2GB of RAM, and an Intel GMA X4500HD, ATI Radeon HD 2400, or NVIDIA GeForce 8300 GS or better is required
- Screen resolution of 1024x768 or greater; 1280x800 or greater is required to play an iTunes LP or iTunes Extras
- 16-bit sound card and speakers
- Internet connection to use Apple Music, the iTunes Store, and iTunes Extras
- iTunes-compatible CD or DVD recorder to create audio CDs, MP3 CDs, or backup CDs or DVDs. Songs from the Apple Music catalog cannot be burned to a CD.
Software:
- Windows 10
- 64-bit editions of Windows require the iTunes 64-bit installer
- 400MB of available disk space
- Some third-party visualizers may no longer be compatible with this version of iTunes. Please contact the developer for an updated visualizer that is compatible with iTunes 12.1 or later.
- Apple Music, iTunes Store, and iTunes Match availability may vary by country
- Apple Music trial requires sign-up and is available for new subscribers only. Plan automatically renews after trial.
iTunes is going places.
Visit the iTunes Store on iOS to buy and download your favorite songs, TV shows, movies, and podcasts. You can also download macOS Catalina for an all-new entertainment experience on desktop. Your library will transfer automatically to the new Apple Music app, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts. And you'll still have access to your favorite iTunes features, including your previous iTunes Store purchases, rentals, and imports and the ability to easily manage your library.
Music, TV, and podcasts
take center stage.
iTunes forever changed the way people experienced music, movies, TV shows, and podcasts. It all changes again with three all-new, dedicated apps — Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts — each designed from the ground up to be the best way to enjoy entertainment on your Mac. And rest assured; everything you had in your iTunes library is still accessible in each app. iCloud seamlessly syncs everything across your devices — or you can back up, restore, and sync by connecting the device directly to your Mac.
The new Apple Music app is the ultimate music streaming experience on Mac.1 Explore a library of over 70 million songs, discover new artists and tracks, find the perfect playlist, download and listen offline, or enjoy all the music you've collected over the years. And find it all in your music library on all your devices.
The Apple TV app for Mac is the new home for all your favorite movies, shows, premium channels, and Apple TV+. Watch everything directly in the app or enjoy it offline, and discover the best of what's on in the Watch Now tab. You can even pick up where you left off on any screen, across all your devices. And for the first time, 4K2 and Dolby Atmos3-supported movies are available on Mac.
More than 700,000 of the best entertainment, comedy, news, and sports shows are now available on your Mac with Apple Podcasts. Search for podcasts by title, topic, guest, host, content, and more. Subscribe and be notified as soon as new episodes become available. And in the Listen Now tab, you can easily pick up where you left off across all your devices.
iTunes Support can help answer your questions
Cnet Apple Downloads Windows 10
Get help with syncing, updating to a more recent version of iTunes, or with an iTunes Store purchase — and much more.
Learn moreLooking for a previous version of iTunes?
Download earlier versions of iTunes to work with compatible operating systems and hardware.
Find previous versions of iTunes