I fell for a phishing email and accidentally downloaded a .exe file on my MacBook from an email address I recognized. I tried to open it twice but got an error message saying it couldn't be opened. Now I realize it was a phishing attempt. Since the file didn't actually open and I've moved it to the trash and deleted it from there, am I safe?
2 Answers
Exe files are for Windows and won’t run natively on a Mac, so you're mostly in the clear! Just be sure you didn't click any links in the email that might lead to more trouble.
You should be fine since Macs can't open exe files directly. However, watch out for DMG files in the future as they are designed for Mac. It's good that you deleted the file, and just remember that most safety checks should protect you from typical threats unless there’s some serious exploit involved, which isn't common.
Thanks for the reassurance! That's really helpful.
That's what I thought, but I wanted to be sure!