Is it safe to run a virus scan on image files after downloading (but before

[Lyle the farm cat]

opening) them? Or is that like locking the barn door after the fox is in the henhouse? I can't see any way to scan them *before* downloading.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Mark the Shark]

not necessarily. some can activate on the spot after download of clicking a link. Most of the viruses i have ever gotten have been activated through a malicious .exe extension file or opening the file after download.