# Beware: PDF attachments can contain viruses

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-pdf-attachments-can-contain-viruses/1011762>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 17, 2024, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-pdf-attachments-can-contain-viruses/1011762 "2024-12-17T18:11:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 35

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**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beware-pdf-attachments-can-contain-viruses/1011762/35 "2024-12-18T21:23:57Z")

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> [@Chronos](#):
>
> And at about the same time, operating systems started hiding extensions on most files by default,

I make sure to not hide extensions, which is how I noticed [the readme.pdf involved in this scam was actually an executable](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scam-internet-and-otherwise-omnibus-thread/962265/977) and immediately deleted it.

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