I'm curious about the safety of downloading zip folders. Specifically, I'm worried about whether a virus can automatically run and embed itself on my computer just by downloading it, without me having to do anything like opening a file. My usual practice is to scan the zip before and after extracting it, and if both scans come back clean, I feel okay about using it. But I'm wondering, do viruses only activate when I actually click on something?
2 Answers
It's crucial to keep your unzipping programs up to date, especially with software like WinRAR. There have been cases where malicious zip files can actually install malware upon opening. Always good to stay on top of updates!
Generally, that's how viruses operate. You typically need to open the file for it to execute. It's pretty much the golden rule with downloads—don't open suspicious files to avoid activating any potential malware.
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