paularoid
08-27-2007, 02:05 AM
I just got this in from the latest "PC Daily Tips" from "PC Mechanic" and normally I would have just tossed it out because the tip described is standard operating procedure with me, but on second thought I decided to forward it to those of you that just might not think about it at first and might suffer the consequences that might arise as alluded to within the tip. In any case here's the tip and instructions. Pass this along to any others that you feel might be better off with this knowledge. I always get real skittish when I go to work on somebody's computer and I can't see exactly what kind of files are on the system. There have been times when I found things that should NOT have been there.
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Always Display File Extensions
One of the options in Windows Explorer is the ability to hide file extensions on known file types (for example, "My Word Document" instead of "My Word Document.doc"). While this makes the file listing look prettier, it can open the door to inadvertently running spyware or viruses on your machine.
For example, if you were to download and save a file, by mistake, which was called "My Word Document.doc.exe" and had the file extensions set to hide, you may think this is a Word Document at first glance. The icon would be different, but you might not realize this until after you have already run the program. By disabling the function to hide file extensions, you will always see the full file name.
Here is how to do it:
1. Open My Computer.
2. Select Tools > Folder Options from the top menu.
3. Go to the View tab.
4. Make sure the option for "Hide file extensions for known file types" is unchecked.
This adds another safety measure to prevent you from accidentally running a malicious file.
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Always Display File Extensions
One of the options in Windows Explorer is the ability to hide file extensions on known file types (for example, "My Word Document" instead of "My Word Document.doc"). While this makes the file listing look prettier, it can open the door to inadvertently running spyware or viruses on your machine.
For example, if you were to download and save a file, by mistake, which was called "My Word Document.doc.exe" and had the file extensions set to hide, you may think this is a Word Document at first glance. The icon would be different, but you might not realize this until after you have already run the program. By disabling the function to hide file extensions, you will always see the full file name.
Here is how to do it:
1. Open My Computer.
2. Select Tools > Folder Options from the top menu.
3. Go to the View tab.
4. Make sure the option for "Hide file extensions for known file types" is unchecked.
This adds another safety measure to prevent you from accidentally running a malicious file.