How to install software only from trusted sources

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MalwareMedium priority

About 5 minutes to complete

Stick to your distribution's official repositories, its app store, or trusted formats like Flatpak, and avoid pasting install commands from unknown websites.

Step-by-step guide

Install apps through your software centre or package manager (apt on Ubuntu or Debian, dnf on Fedora).
Prefer official repositories or trusted formats such as Flatpak or Snap.
Be careful with 'curl ... | sudo bash' style commands from websites; only run them from sources you trust completely.
Remove extra software sources you no longer use.

4 steps

Why this matters

Software from your distribution's repositories is checked and signed. Random scripts and unofficial packages are the most common way malware reaches a Linux desktop.

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