CISA warns most users infect their devices by opening or running unidentified email attachments. CISA warns that opening email attachments allows hackers to alter files and steal sensitive financial data like credit card information. To safeguard your financial credentials, here’s a list of email attachments that are safe to open.
Email Attachments From Trusted Sources
The FBI advises never opening or running email attachments from unknown senders. It would be best to scrutinize the email address before opening it carefully. Verify the sender’s full email address; if it seems suspicious or doesn’t match their name, avoid opening the attachment. If the email address matches the sender’s name and appears legitimate, the attachment is likely safe to open.
Email Attachments With Safe File Extensions
After verifying the sender, hover over the attachment to check the file extension and identify the appropriate application to open it. For example, an attachment ending in .pdf is generally safe to open if the sender is trusted.
However, you should never open email attachments that feature double extensions that may contain a virus. Hackers sometimes disguise malicious attachments by using two extensions, making them appear safe at first glance. For example, an attachment may seem like an image, but closer inspection reveals a hidden extension, like “file.jpg.exe.” This name means that the file is not a JPG attachment but an EXE file. Why? The last extension (3 or 4 letters) at the end of the file’s name matters greatly in file identification.
Video, Images, and Audio Files
Email attachments with videos, audio, and image files are generally the safest to open and run. You should ensure the email file has one of the following common extensions;
But remember, an image might also look safe but be a type of file in disguise. So, open a file you receive via email only when you are sure of its source and already expecting it.
Office Documents
Microsoft Office documents are generally safe to open. They may also contain “macro viruses,” which are hard to detect as they use the same language as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. And such files have extensions like DOCX, DOC, PPT, and XLS. Usually, the macro doesn’t automatically activate unless it comes from a trusted location. So, if you want to edit the document, you must activate the macro manually. How? Click the “Enable Content” icon at your screen’s top part. Luckily, Microsoft warns you not to click the “Enable Content” button unless you know what the active content does.
Secure Email for Lawyers
Lawyers handle highly sensitive client information, making secure email essential for protecting attorney-client privilege and confidential communications. Cyber threats, including phishing, hacking, and data breaches, put legal professionals at risk of exposing critical case details. Secure email solutions offer encryption, multi-factor authentication, and advanced security measures to safeguard legal correspondence from unauthorized access. By implementing secure email services, lawyers can ensure compliance with data protection regulations, maintain client trust, and prevent cybercriminals from intercepting privileged information. Investing in a secure email platform is a crucial step in maintaining confidentiality and upholding professional responsibility in the legal field.
Bottom Line
Hackers send malicious email attachments to spread malware, steal personal information, or spy on your computer. With cybercrime rising and phishing emails increasing daily, stay extra vigilant with your email activities.