Simply open the archive to view the file list.
Is the size realistic? A file containing high-quality videos or large archives of historical documents should be hundreds of megabytes. If it is only a few kilobytes, it likely contains a script or a small piece of malicious code. BlackHistoryMonth.rar
If you decide to look inside the archive using a tool like or WinRAR : Simply open the archive to view the file list
If you are tech-savvy, open the file inside a VM (like VirtualBox) that has no access to your local network or personal files. 3. Inspecting the Contents Safely If it is only a few kilobytes, it
Go to VirusTotal.com and upload the file (if it's under 650MB). It will scan the archive against 70+ different antivirus engines.
Opening the contents could encrypt your hard drive. Summary Checklist Step 1 Upload to VirusTotal for a multi-engine scan. Step 2 Check the source. Was it expected? Step 3 Inspect the file extensions inside the archive. Step 4
If it contains anything other than .pdf , .jpg , or .mp4 , delete it immediately.