What Does a Zip Bomb do to a Computer?
A zip bomb or decompression bomb is therefore a file that is designed to kill a computer by overloading the resources it has. A zip bomb, when extracted, takes up a large amount of memory as well as time, which is why it is called a bomb. This can result in system sluggishness, crashes, or total failure of the entire system. The purpose of the zip bomb is to harm the system and, in the best-case scenario, make it useless. Currently, most antivirus programs have features that enable them to detect and block zip bombs when they are unzipped so as not to affect the system.
How To Scan Zip Files For Viruses And Zip Bombs?
A Zip File is a binary file format that creates a single file for multiple files for easy access as well as facilitates to sharing of large as well as multiple files over the internet. It provides user convenience in that it enables people to transfer, store, and share relatively small files. However, this convenience comes with a risk: Just like regular folders, zip files contain files and folders and might contain viruses, or a specific type of virus called zip bomb.
These threats are detrimental to the security of your computer since they can erase your data, freeze the operating system, or grant third parties access to information they are not supposed to see.
Here in our article, let’s follow through on how one can properly scan zip files for all these threats and how to ensure your computer’s safety. The preceding sections outlined the steps of using a good antivirus program, other stand-alone anti-virus programs, and online virus scanning services, in this part, there are other useful tips to avoid zip bombs.