At Flightsim.to, the security of our users and the integrity of our platform are a priority. To maintain a safe and trustworthy environment for downloading flight simulation add-ons, all uploaded files must meet our security requirements. This policy explains how we handle malware detections, antivirus warnings, and potential false positives in files submitted by creators.
1. Security Requirements for Uploaded Files
All files distributed through Flightsim.to must be free from malware, malicious code, and other potentially harmful software. As part of our security procedures, uploaded files may be evaluated using VirusTotal or other malware scanners, which aggregate detection results from multiple antivirus and security vendors.
To be accepted for distribution, a file must generally have a clean VirusTotal result. A limited number of minor detections may be tolerated if they do not raise material security concerns. In particular, files flagged by major security vendors, especially Microsoft Defender or Google's security services, may be rejected, blocked, or removed from our platform, regardless of whether the detections are believed to be false positives. We do not apply a fixed numerical threshold for acceptable detections. Each result may be evaluated based on the severity, nature, and source of the warnings.
2. Handling False Positives
We recognize that legitimate software can sometimes trigger antivirus warnings. This may occur with executable files, installers, scripts, or other software components commonly used in flight simulation add-ons.
However, a false positive is still a security detection, and we cannot automatically disregard it based solely on a creator's assurance that their software is safe.
Even when a detection is incorrect, it can prevent users from downloading, opening, or running the affected file. For example, Microsoft Defender may quarantine a download, or Google Chrome may warn users against downloading it. We do not consider it reasonable to expect users to disable their antivirus protection, bypass browser warnings, or create security exceptions to install an add-on.
For this reason, we may decline to distribute files that trigger significant security warnings, even when the creator believes the detections are inaccurate.
3. Responsibility of Creators
Creators are responsible for ensuring that their uploaded files meet our security requirements before submitting them for publication. If your file is flagged by antivirus software, we recommend the following:
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Review the detection results. Check your file on VirusTotal to identify which security vendors have flagged it and how the detections are classified.
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Investigate the cause. Examine whether specific code, file packaging methods, dependencies, or software behavior may be triggering the warnings.
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Report suspected false positives. Contact the affected antivirus vendors directly and submit the file for review. Most major security vendors provide dedicated false-positive reporting procedures.
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Verify the results before resubmission. Once the relevant detections have been cleared or the underlying issues resolved, you may submit the file again for review.
Some false-positive detections are resolved within 48 to 72 hours, although processing times vary between security vendors and may take longer.
4. Limitations of Our Security Review
Flightsim.to does not perform individual source-code audits, manual code reviews, or detailed technical investigations of uploaded software to determine whether antivirus detections are justified. Our security decisions rely in part on assessments provided by independent security vendors and automated scanning services.
We understand that creators may be confident in the safety of their own software. However, we cannot independently verify such claims or override significant security concerns solely on that basis.
The absence of a detection does not guarantee that a file is safe, and a detection does not necessarily establish that a file is malicious. Nevertheless, antivirus results are an important factor in determining whether a file is suitable for distribution on our platform.
5. Rejection, Removal, and Resubmission
Flightsim.to reserves the right to reject, temporarily restrict, or remove any file that raises material security concerns, including files that develop antivirus detections after publication.
A rejection due to antivirus detections does not necessarily mean that we consider the creator or their software malicious. It means that the file does not currently meet our requirements for distribution.
Creators may resubmit affected files once the relevant issues have been addressed. At a minimum, significant detections by major security vendors, particularly Microsoft Defender and Google's security services, must be resolved before a previously rejected file can be reconsidered.
Clearing antivirus detections does not guarantee approval. All submissions remain subject to our other platform policies and security requirements.
6. Why This Policy Exists
Our security standards are intended to protect users from potentially harmful downloads while maintaining the reliability and reputation of Flightsim.to.
We also have responsibilities toward our hosting providers, infrastructure partners, and other service providers, which may impose their own restrictions on distributing files identified as potentially malicious. Because antivirus detections originate from independent third-party vendors, Flightsim.to cannot directly remove or modify them. Creators must work with the relevant vendors to resolve disputed detections.
We appreciate that false positives can be inconvenient, particularly for developers distributing legitimate software. Nevertheless, the security and accessibility of downloads must take precedence over the publication of files that trigger significant security warnings.
By uploading files to Flightsim.to, creators acknowledge that their submissions are subject to these security requirements and that files failing to meet them may be rejected or removed.