Question Dragging a malicious .exe file into a Chrome window?

[preguntonontrack]

Hello everybody. Just wondering and maybe i can learn a little more about the mechanics with this post. I downloaded a few software to test in my computer 2 of them malicious. To make sure, i always scan them with Virus Total. While i was dragging and dropping them into Virus Total using Chrome i accidentally dragged one on an empty Chrome Window, a blank page appeared and a on lower left corner it said something about discarding or keeping a file. I closed the chrome window using the x on top. After scanning it it has various malicious results. So i am worried...

So what does Chrome actually do with an exe file when you drop them on a window? For example if you drop an image file Chrome displays it but does it runs an exe file?

Should i be worried?

Does any exe or malicious exe file modifies Chrome in any way when you drag one into a window?

 

[USAFRet]

I downloaded a few software to test in my computer 2 of them malicious.

This is specifically what a sacrificial PC is for.
Or a VM.
Or at the very least, a really good backup routine, where you can roll back the entire system to just before you did this.

Will Chrome execute an executable file? Dunno.
But since you've now found even more malicious things in your system...apparently it did.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

As above. However, either disconnect from the network or only do such things on a completely isolated network with no path at all to the live network, to the point of a different ISP so the two networks never touch in any way.

 

[preguntonontrack]

This is specifically what a sacrificial PC is for.
Or a VM.
Or at the very least, a really good backup routine, where you can roll back the entire system to just before you did this.

Will Chrome execute an executable file? Dunno.
But since you've now found even more malicious things in your system...apparently it did.

Dont worry i do have recent back ups of my files and no i havent found new malicious in my system. The file i missdropped in Chrome came malicious in Virus Total (26 out of 68 to be exact). I did a system scan and it came fine but still. I am really wondering if Chrome could have executed the file or modified Chrome in any way. I just want to avoid spending a day cleaning and reinstalling my PC.

 

[USAFRet]

Dont worry i do have recent back ups of my files and no i havent found new malicious in my system. The file i missdropped in Chrome came malicious in Virus Total (26 out of 68 to be exact). I did a system scan and it came fine but still. I am really wondering if Chrome could have executed the file or modified Chrome in any way. I just want to avoid spending a day cleaning and reinstalling my PC.

If you're now seeing other "malicious" files after this accidental drop....then yes, Chrome did execute that file.

A "recent back ups of my files" is not what I was referring to.

I meant a full drive backup.
OS, files, everything.
Full drive.

With that, you can recover the whole thing in about an hour.
Exactly as it was when you made that Image.
No "reinstall" needed.

But that requires thinking about doing that before messing with known malicious data.


If any of my systems were to become dead/infected/compromised right now...I could bring it back to exactly as it was last night.
Take about an hour.

 

[preguntonontrack]

If you're now seeing other "malicious" files after this accidental drop....then yes, Chrome did execute that file.

A "recent back ups of my files" is not what I was referring to.

I meant a full drive backup.
OS, files, everything.
Full drive.

With that, you can recover the whole thing in about an hour.
Exactly as it was when you made that Image.
No "reinstall" needed.

But that requires thinking about doing that before messing with known malicious data.


If any of my systems were to become dead/infected/compromised right now...I could bring it back to exactly as it was last night.
Take about an hour.

Yeah i know, althought i prefer doing a clean install so i can update everything and delete old files while i am at it.

I was reading the Google paper on drag and drop on Chrome. It seems depending on the file it actually doesn't do much. For exe it just copies the location of the file on the top bar and then it proceeds to "download" the file from the location, even if its in the local drive.

 

[USAFRet]

Yeah i know, althought i prefer doin clean intalls so i can update everything and delte old files while i am at it.

I was reading the Google paper on drag and drop on Chrome. It seems depending on the file it actually doesn't do much. For exe it just copies the location of the file on the top bar and then it proceeds to "download" the file from the location, even if its in the local drive.

Well...no one out here knows exactly what that file is.

It may or may not be an actual "exe".

"The file i missdropped in Chrome came malicious in Virus Total (26 out of 68 to be exact). "
Given that, something happened.
No telling what it did.

 

[preguntonontrack]

Well...no one out here knows exactly what that file is.

It may or may not be an actual "exe".

"The file i missdropped in Chrome came malicious in Virus Total (26 out of 68 to be exact). "
Given that, something happened.
No telling what it did.

It doesnt matter which file it is. It seems Chrome wont run it. Is just like i were to download it from any address. In other words its a relief.

 

[preguntonontrack]

Thanks to everyone anyway.