Zip files are a popular method of distributing executable files among several people. This may be accomplished via the use of the internet and email. In order to access the contents of a zip file that you have received, you must download it and you must first unzip it.

 When it comes to downloading these zip files, a common question that people have is if they may infect their computer with a virus by simply downloading that zip file.

In general, engaging with malicious links offering zip file downloads will get computer viruses or malware onto your computer. In the case that your zip file download link was clean or free from malware, your computer can not be infected with malicious malware. This is because zip files are not executables, your computer will not be attacked by a virus if the contents of the zip file have not been unzipped before running the program. 

Only executable malicious malware will expose your computer and the entire network systems to computer viruses and not the zip file itself.

The majority of the time, individuals will unintentionally click on files without realizing what is actually in those files. In recent years, this has become a highly prevalent method for computers to get infected with malware and other viruses, as users click on links without realizing that a virus may be lurking within.

Simply downloading a zip file, on the other hand, will not cause a virus to be loaded on your machine. In the same way, clicking on the zip file does not cause it to become infected with a virus.

Consider the following scenario: you get an email with a zip file attached as an attachment. By double-clicking on this zip file, the zip file will be opened on your computer. This means that regardless of whether the zip file contains malware, your computer will not get infected just by opening it. 

The only way that your computer may get infected is if you run the executable programs that are included inside the zip file that contains viruses. For example, you may have other.exe files on your computer that contain the infection.

What to look for when determining if a zip file contains a virus

There are still certain ways you may use to determine whether or not there is a virus in your zip file despite the fact that the contents of the zip file are mainly unclear and concealed until the file is unzipped. For example, in the vast majority of cases, when you double-click any of the executable files included inside the zip folder, nothing happens. When you open a certain file, you may see warnings from WinZip that the file may be harmful to your machine.

There are certain files that WinZip considers to be dangerous for your computer’s security. As a result, anytime you are extracting zip files and you get such warnings, it is imperative that you proceed with caution.

How to prevent downloading zipped files that are infected with viruses

Download only from a reputable source. When you get zip files from respected organizations such as banks, governments, or delivery sources, it is likely that something is wrong. Because these organizations will not send zip files to their customers, it is possible that someone is behind it.

The majority of the time, these businesses will communicate with you within the body of an email. Therefore, In the event that you get an email with a Zip file attached, do not open it. Whether you get an email with a Zip file attached from anyone you don’t recognize, you may want to double-check with the recipient to see if the attachment is genuine. 

Another way to prevent downloading infected zip files is to make sure that your system is constantly secured as well as up to date with the latest patches. Scammers are becoming more prevalent with each passing day, and they may utilize these zip files to infect your devices with malware.

How will you get viruses from zip files?

Having a decent anti-virus application installed on the system is quite crucial. Your anti-virus software should be set up to scan any files you open in real-time. Many virus detectors can be set to scan emails as it arrives as well as isolate any malicious messages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, downloading and double-clicking a zip file will not cause you to get infected with a virus, but double-clicking an executable that contains a virus will cause your computer to become infected with a virus. We hope that the important information in this post will assist you in avoiding downloading zip files from questionable websites in the future.