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Protecting comp from hidden malicious file attacks.
Many a times worms and trojans or an exe file meant to harm/compromise the users computers are carried out using a loophole in the beneficial feature provided in Windows OS.
Example:
here you see all the files have same file name "admin.doc" (.doc = microsoft word document file) but have different representing icons. Why so? you will find soon.......keep on reading.
By default settings, windows hides known file extensions. So when you open your folder and view the files, it just displays its file name without its file extensions.
This particular issue/loop hole is being used by people with vice intentions to attack ignorant users computer.
To protect from such malicious attack, this is what one can do:
Open My computer or any folder, go to Tools and select Folder options.
Select the View tab and in the advanced settings, below Hidden files and folders section, you will find "Hide extensions of known file types" check box.
By default it is checked. Uncheck it and click apply button -> Ok.
having done this, now lets view the same files again.
Image 1(with hidden file extension)
Image 2 (with file extension made visible)
Now you see, difference between the two images. the previous images had all the files with names "admin.doc" but with different icons except for "admin.doc.scrap". Now you can see why the icons were different, all had different file extensions.
In the previous image windows displayed admin.doc.scrap as it didn't recognise extension ".scrap" as a known extension while others were all known.
All the files were actually admin.doc word file with various additional extensions purposefully put by me.
Now just think, instead of a word document here if an malicious ".exe" file with a ".txt" extension is given and clicked by you. what will happen next??? Disaster!!!!!
So, now you have unchecked "Hide extensions of known file types" check box. still how is one going to identify which file extensions are safe and which ar'nt.
Rule of thumb:
When you see a file with an extension unknown to you, do not open it.
Instead of deleting as well, check the google for knowing more about this file extensions. who knows it may be an harmless file, useful to you.
Drawback:
Having mentioned the plus point of protecting ones comp. Now, you are faced with one particular problem.
Since you have allowed windows to display file extensions. Now, if you want to rename a file without opening the file, you need to be careful to type in the new file name with its proper extension, otherwise you may loose the true identity of the file and render it unusable.
Example:
here you see all the files have same file name "admin.doc" (.doc = microsoft word document file) but have different representing icons. Why so? you will find soon.......keep on reading.
By default settings, windows hides known file extensions. So when you open your folder and view the files, it just displays its file name without its file extensions.
This particular issue/loop hole is being used by people with vice intentions to attack ignorant users computer.
To protect from such malicious attack, this is what one can do:
Open My computer or any folder, go to Tools and select Folder options.
Select the View tab and in the advanced settings, below Hidden files and folders section, you will find "Hide extensions of known file types" check box.
By default it is checked. Uncheck it and click apply button -> Ok.
having done this, now lets view the same files again.
Image 1(with hidden file extension)
Image 2 (with file extension made visible)
Now you see, difference between the two images. the previous images had all the files with names "admin.doc" but with different icons except for "admin.doc.scrap". Now you can see why the icons were different, all had different file extensions.
In the previous image windows displayed admin.doc.scrap as it didn't recognise extension ".scrap" as a known extension while others were all known.
All the files were actually admin.doc word file with various additional extensions purposefully put by me.
Now just think, instead of a word document here if an malicious ".exe" file with a ".txt" extension is given and clicked by you. what will happen next??? Disaster!!!!!
So, now you have unchecked "Hide extensions of known file types" check box. still how is one going to identify which file extensions are safe and which ar'nt.
Rule of thumb:
When you see a file with an extension unknown to you, do not open it.
Instead of deleting as well, check the google for knowing more about this file extensions. who knows it may be an harmless file, useful to you.
Drawback:
Having mentioned the plus point of protecting ones comp. Now, you are faced with one particular problem.
Since you have allowed windows to display file extensions. Now, if you want to rename a file without opening the file, you need to be careful to type in the new file name with its proper extension, otherwise you may loose the true identity of the file and render it unusable.
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