AI & Digital Life · 55 sec
File Extensions Describe Formats, Not Safety
A familiar-looking filename can still be dangerous.
The useful idea
- Understand
A file extension suggests the format that software should use to open a file.
- Connect
Attackers can use misleading names, hidden extensions, or crafted files that exploit vulnerable applications.
- Apply
The filename does not prove who created the attachment or what the file will do when opened.
Why this matters
Recognition of a familiar format can create trust that the sender and file have not earned.
Try this
Verify unexpected attachments with the sender through another channel.
Test your recall
Which action best applies “File Extensions Describe Formats, Not Safety”?
- Choose one factual claim in the answer and verify it outside the AI tool.
- Pilot AI on representative tasks and record accuracy, failure types, time saved, and human review effort.
- Verify unexpected attachments with the sender through another channel. — correct
Recognition of a familiar format can create trust that the sender and file have not earned.