Can your computer get infected without installing the infection program?

[fuggatroller]

Today i want to play COD Mobile in my PC so i download the software called game loop garena, i am not install/running the program yet i just download it. Let's assume this program is a malware, virus or anything else, can this infected your computer if you not install/running it ?

And also I would like to upload the program here so you guys can check it.

[Asyn]

1. Let's assume this program is a malware, virus or anything else, can this infected your computer if you not install/running it ?
2. And also I would like to upload the program here so you guys can check it.

1. Nope.
2. Test the file at VT (https://www.virustotal.com) and post the link to the result here.

[fuggatroller]

Hello this is the result

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/b42a6d4a7fff828dfb177e86949c4a75e974a82ddba65660dd49d325651ff26f/detection

Is it safe to install ?

[Pondus]

Yes, No detections

==============================

First Submission   2019-10-01 13:53:17
Last Submission           2019-10-08 14:52:57



Signed file, valid signature

File Version Information
Copyright   Copyright © 2017 Tencent. All Rights Reserved.
Product   Gameloop
Description   Gameloop - Install
Original Name   GameDownload.exe
Internal Name   GameDownload
File Version   11.0.16777.224
Date signed   10:54 AM 9/30/2019

[fuggatroller]

It's possible the file hide the virus from detection and run the virus if you run the file?
For example when you scan it the file is clean because the file virus not run yet, but later when you install then run it the virus stat running. If this happening is avast able to stop it?

[DavidR]

It's possible the file hide the virus from detection and run the virus if you run the file?
For example when you scan it the file is clean because the file virus not run yet, but later when you install then run it the virus stat running. If this happening is avast able to stop it?

Even if it were possible don't forget that when you run a file avast first scans it before it allows it to run.  If you run the file to install it, Avast would be ready to scan any newly created/run files.

Files could be highly compressed or use a proprietary compression format, however that would generally need another file (that knows that compression format) to extract that virus in order to be able to run it.

Guess what, when compressed files are unpacked they too should be scanned by Avast and again if anyone then tried to execute/run that virus.  This is the whole point of an on-access (resident) antivirus.

[fuggatroller]

does this scanning before run also apply to avast free or just paid/pro version?

[DavidR]

Yes, it is exactly the same.

[fuggatroller]

Yes, it is exactly the same.

Glad to hear that.

And one more thing, do I need to run the program/file as administrator in order to make avast scanning before the program/file run ?

[Pondus]

Yes, it is exactly the same.

Glad to hear that.

And one more thing, do I need to run the program/file as administrator in order to make avast scanning before the program/file run ?

No

All antivirus programs (except one) have real time protection that monitor evrything that goes on in your PC when on

[mchain]

If you are trying to run/install a new program from within a standard (limited user) user account, you'll need to invoke (know) the name of the administrator and administrator password to run it within the standard account. 

Best to always install/run new programs from within an administrative account.  For that you'll need the proper credentials.