Y2mate is a website that allows users to download video and audio from YouTube. However, Y2mate also contains a lot of malware downloads, ads, links, and pop-ups, all of which can redirect users to unsafe sites. These unsafe websites will often prompt users to install PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) or contain drive-by download attacks (malware that downloads automatically).
If possible, you should avoid downloading videos from Y2mate. However, there are some precautions you can take on Y2mate if you can’t find any alternative video downloading sites (most are just as dangerous):
- Use an ad blocker (Avira’s browser extension includes an excellent ad blocker).
- Don’t allow Y2mate to display any notifications.
- Don’t click on any ads (they usually appear on the right side of the screen).
- If a window opens in a new tab, check the URL (if it’s not Y2mate.com, close it).
- Have a secure antivirus suite with decent real-time protection running in the background (Norton is the best).
- Check the Y2mate file names before downloading: A lot of download buttons will pop up, trying to trick you into downloading PUPs and malware instead of your video. Check the file name of the download matches that of the video you want to download before clicking Save.
If your system is running poorly, you see pop-ups on your desktop, have new toolbars in your browser, or aren’t sure what you downloaded from Y2mate — your device is probably infected with malware.
Luckily, if you accidentally download any viruses or PUPsfrom Y2mate, you can easily remove them and protect your system from future threats.
Step 1. Run a Full System Scan With Your Antivirus
A full disk scan will detect, quarantine, and remove every virus (and PUP) it finds on your system, including spyware, rootkits, or worms that can often run undetected.
The full scan can take anywhere from 1–4 hours because your antivirus needs to analyze every single file and process on your computer.
When your antivirus has alerted you that the scan is complete, every instance of malware on your system will be identified and quarantined.
Step 2. Delete Any Infected Files
When your antivirus has identified and quarantined all of your compromised files, it will give you the option to delete them. Advanced users can go through the quarantined files and make sure there are no false positives before hitting the Delete button. But most users will just want to trust their antivirus software — if it’s been flagged as malware by a program like Norton, chances are you don’t want it on your device.
After you’ve removed any compromised files from your system, it’s a good idea to restart your computer.
After you restart your device, run a second full disk scan to ensure your antivirus has removed all traces of malware. This may not take as long during the second scan — many antiviruses, including Norton, remember which files they have already scanned and can analyze your disk much more rapidly after the first full disk scan.
As before, be sure to let your antivirus finish its second scan. Once the scan is finished and you’ve reviewed and deleted compromised files in your quarantine, your device is 100% malware-free! For now…
Even though you’ve finished removing the virus and other malware you accidentally downloaded from Y2mate, there are still thousands of malware files out there that can infect your devices, compromise your online accounts, and spread through your Wi-Fi network.
Step 3. Keep Your Device Protected Against Future Infections
New malware is released every day, making it easy to accidentally install infected applications. There’s also the risk of online data harvesting, identity theft, and public Wi-Fi hackers.
How can you keep your devices and data safe? There are several things you can do:
Keep Your Software, OS, and Drivers Up-To-Date
Keeping all of your software, OS, and drivers up-to-date is an essential part of internet security. Hackers frequently exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software to gain unauthorized access to your PC. The majority of software updates include security updates that patch these vulnerabilities.
Many comprehensive antivirus suites (such as Avira) will include a vulnerability scanner that checks your programs and OS to ensure they’re up to date.
Also, most operating systems and programs have an auto-update option. Wherever possible, select this option to make sure you’re keeping all of your devices and system drivers up-to-date.
Don’t Download Suspicious Files
Whether it’s from an email or a suspicious website, don’t download files unless you’re 100% sure you recognize where they’re coming from. The majority of malware is delivered with seemingly legitimate free software or attached to deceptive emails.
Your antivirus can protect you by scanning emails, tagging suspicious files, and scanning all downloads before they can make changes on your computer. However, it’s still best to exercise common sense and avoid files from unknown sources.
Secure Your Wireless Network and IoT Devices
Make sure your wireless network is secure before you go online. You can do this by using a firewall, but you should also ensure your home Wi-Fi connection and internet of things (IoT) devices are password-protected too.
You can see if a connection is password-protected by looking in your network list — the ones that aren’t password-protected have a warning sign next to them.
Unsecured networks and devices are far more vulnerable since anyone can connect to them, but hackers can even infiltrate a secured device that is password-protected.
Most users don’t think to change the default passwords for networked devices like routers, thermostats, and lighting systems. Hackers break into “password-protected” networks all the time using tools like Shodan and Mirai to enter default passwords into millions of devices a day.
Any networked device should come with instructions for how to change its password. If not, try typing the device’s model number into Google.
Download a Secure Antivirus Program
There are a ton of antivirus packages on the market. However, only a few provide all of the security protections you need to stay safe online. You can check out 2022’s best antivirus packages here.
I really like Norton 360 — it’s a premium antivirus suite with one of the best anti-malware engines in the world, along with a ton of useful security protections. Norton’s antivirus scanner uses artificial intelligence, advanced heuristics, and a massive malware database to keep malware off of your device.
Norton also includes:
- Anti-phishing protection — Flags suspicious websites and protects you from online scammers.
- Firewall — Blocks hackers from entering your network.
- Virtual private network (VPN) — Keeps your internet usage anonymous, preventing network attacks, web surveillance, and man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Parental controls — Protects children by using content filters, app and screen time schedules, YouTube monitoring, and even location tracking.
- System cleanup — Gets rid of junk files and increases system performance.
- Password manager — Stores, generates, and auto-fills passwords, so hackers can’t steal them.
- Identity theft protection (US only) — Monitors credit reports, the dark web, and breach databases for compromised accounts, and includes a $1 million insurance policy.
60 DAYS RISK-FREE — TRY NORTON NOW