Trusted source

Updated: 07/06/2021 by Computer Hope
Blue Trusted stamp

Trusted source may refer to any of the following:

1. A trusted source is a business, organization, or person who would not knowingly send you a virus, ransomware, or other malicious software. For example, a family member is usually considered a trusted source because you know the person would not seek to harm you or your computer.

Note

When online, it's possible for a non-trusted source to impersonate someone you may trust. For example, viruses and malware are often spread by stealing the contact info contained in an address book and then sending itself to each of the contacts.

For a business, organization, or a person you don't know to become a trusted source, they would need to get a recommendation from someone you trust or build that trust over time. Other ways could be reading reviews about the company, viewing the work they've done for someone else, or hearing from another reputable source about them.

2. TrustedSource is an online web database developed by CipherTrust, which is now owned by McAfee (Intel Security). The database contains URLs organized into categories for creating filter policies and helping manage access to the web. TrustedSource is also helpful for blocking network attacks over the web and e-mail.

Security terms, Source