The 8 Most Dangerous File Types for Malware Infections
Category:Industry News / Research & Tools
A practitioner-focused overview from Security Boulevard describes common file types abused for malware delivery: PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, compressed archives, executables, images (steganography), and cloud uploads. While vendor-oriented, the content reflects persistent enterprise risks in routine workflows and advocates content disarm and reconstruction (CDR) for sanitization, especially where automated ingestion and user productivity intersect. Organizations should contextualize vendor claims against their threat model but the enumeration aligns with historical abuse patterns.
CORTEX Protocol Intelligence Assessment
{"Business Impact":"Routine document flows continue to deliver malware, risking endpoint and data security.","Technical Context":"Embedded scripts/macros, steganography, nested archives, and executables hidden in benign formats."}
Strategic Intelligence Guidance
- Adopt layered file controls (sandbox, CDR, AV) at email/gateway and collaboration points.
- Disable risky macros; enforce signed VBA and template controls.
- Inspect password-protected archives via broker workflows or disallow from external senders.
- Instrument telemetry for document-driven exploitation behaviors.
Threats
Targets
Intelligence Source: The 8 Most Dangerous File Types for Malware Infections - Security Boulevard | Oct 15, 2025