{"id":27757,"date":"2024-08-16T14:29:52","date_gmt":"2024-08-16T22:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/?p=27757"},"modified":"2024-08-15T14:30:28","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T22:30:28","slug":"zip-bomb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/zip-bomb\/","title":{"rendered":"Beware of Zip Bombs – What to Know About This Malicious Malware"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve downloaded a file, it\u2019s important to make sure that you know what you\u2019re getting before you open it.\u00a0 While you might already be clued in on other forms of attack such as downloading spyware or malware as a result of a phishing email<\/a>, you might not have heard of the zip bomb attack.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As zip bombs can cause havoc to your device and its security, it\u2019s crucial you don\u2019t get caught out.  To help you, we\u2019ll cover the basics of what a zip file is, and then explain zip bombs.  This will include what they are, how they work, how to protect yourself, and of course what to do if you fall victim to one.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s a Zip File?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A zip file is a file format that allows you to compress data in a lossless format.  This can include individual files, folders, or even other zip files themselves.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lossless means that the file can be reduced to a smaller file size, without its quality being reduced as well.  But of course, you\u2019ll probably want to restore what\u2019s contained in a zip file to its original size so that you can access it \u2014 which means that the most common compression algorithm that a zip file uses is a decompression algorithm.  Decompression essentially means returning a file to its original size.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of a zip file\u2019s compression and decompression capabilities, in the wrong hands, it can act as malware.  In the next section, we\u2019ll look at what zip bombs are and the different ways that they can make your device more vulnerable to attacks, or render it unusable.  There are many different reasons why hackers use zip bombs, which we\u2019ll also cover here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a Zip Bomb Is and Why They\u2019re Dangerous<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A zip bomb usually looks like a typical zip file.  Zip bombs are different, however, in that once you unzip them, they can contain millions of gigabytes of data.  This is far too much for your computer to store, which quickly overwhelms your hard drive.  Sometimes a zip bomb is also known as a \u201cdecompression bomb\u201d or a \u201czip of death.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does a Zip Bomb Work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since zip folders can contain even more zips inside them, zip bombs usually contain several layers of compressed zip files which can add up to an overwhelming number of compressed gigabytes of repetitive data.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the zip program you\u2019re using will unzip the file as usual, the way that the archive is packed means that it takes a huge amount of time, memory, and disk space to achieve that.  This can leave your computer vulnerable to other malware attacks, or just simply crash your computer.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recursive vs. Non-Recursive Zip Bombs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are two different types of zip bombs: recursive<\/strong> and non-recursive<\/strong>.   Here\u2019s an easy way to tell the difference between them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n