Does youtube vet uploads to its site for malware?

What is the risk of watching ?

What is the risk of downloading?

If you use YouTube to watch videos there is no risk of getting a virus.

You can get a virus from downloading a video from YouTube. But if you scan the file before executing it the virus / trojan should show up.Though I understand it is rare to get a virus or trojan from YouTube.

You should always check any programme you download for virus / trojans if you are not sure of the source.

Even downloading the videos would be safe I expect, they're are only videos after all, not executables, they don't run code.

The only real risk is clicking links.

They are a security risk. You need to keep your Adobe Flash Player updated, just like your browser.

They are a security risk. You need to keep your Adobe Flash Player updated, just like your browser.

Link to check if your Flash Player is up to date:

http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

Lastest Version is 11,1,102,55 (dd: 17-11-2011)

and sure enough, my flash player was NOT up to date!

Thanks.

and sure enough, my flash player was NOT up to date!

Thanks.

Note: Adobe usually updates the flash player shortly after Microsoft updates Windows. About the 15th to the 20th of the month.

You can enable the flash player to automatically check for updates in the Flash Player Settings Manager which is accessible from the Windows Control Panel.

Just click the "Check for updates automatically'" button under the advanced tab of the Flash Player Settings Manager.

Note: I don't think this option was available with Adobe Flash Player prior to version 10.