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Initial Notes:How to make Windows show extensions for all file typesFile attachments can be scary things, especially if they masquerade as safe file types when they're actually executable files capable of installing viruses or other malware on your computer. How does someone make a file masquerade? He does this by exploiting those who have Windows hide the file extensions for known file types. File extensions are the characters following the dot in file names. By default, Windows hides known file types, though. For example, .TXT is a common file type...plain text files. myshoppinglist.txt is a plain text file, and one generally safe to open. Other examples are .JPG, .GIF and .BMP, which are types of picture files, generally safe to view. Kitty.jpg is an example of a picture file. Now, some other types of extension are .PIF, .SCR and .EXE -- and this is a whole other ballgame. These files are executable, ones which run a program on your computer. These are file types often used in virus-infected attachments to e-mails. The problem comes when Windows hides file extensions. For example... Let's say a virus comes through in an attachment to your e-mail. The file appears to be called kitty.jpg, so you assume it's a safe file and you open it. Guess what...The file was actually called kitty.jpg.exe! Windows hid the .exe file extension, and all you saw was the first part of the file name. Oh, crumbs. Don't despair. There is a way to safeguard yourself against this kind of mistake. You need to tell Windows to show file types for even these commonly-used extensions. You only need to follow these steps once, and Windows will remember it from that point on. 1. Open any folder containing your documents (double-clicking the My Documents icon on your desktop is a quick way to do this) 2. Click TOOLS > FOLDER OPTIONS 3. Click the VIEW tab 4. UN-CHECK the box next to "hide extensions for known file types" 5. Click OKAY You should now see complete file names when you look in your folders, as well as when you see file attachment names in your e-mail program. This is REALLY important to do, because it will protect you from clicking on attachments which appear to be safe ones like pictures and text files, but are really dangerous executable files. And, as always, make sure you have a reputable antivirus program installed on your computer and that you keep it current on its updates. I recommend the following free antivirus software: Avast Antivirus. Back to gardenwife's Journal homepage. |
