File types supported
Datto SaaS Defense is able to perform scans on numerous file types. This article describes each file type and identifies the type of scan performed on each.
Types of scans
Datto SaaS Defense implements two types of scans to identify malicious content:
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Dynamic: During a dynamic scan, the file is run in a controlled environment using its respective software. The behavior of the file and its underlying operating system is analyzed and compared to the behavior of files executed successfully (the software's proper execution model). Certain variations from the proper execution model indicate the scanned file is malicious.
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Static: During a static scan, all data within the file is extracted. This includes metadata, embedded files, links, and more. The extracted data is analyzed for known issues based on publicly available computer security information such as a Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) list. Any findings detected during the static scan indicate the file is malicious.
Datto SaaS Defense performs dynamic and static scans on some file types (described in the first table) and static scans only for other file types (described in the second table).
File types subject to dynamic and static scans
This table describes the file types that receive dynamic and static scans.
| File type | Description |
|---|---|
| CSV | A CSV file is a text file that uses a comma to separate values. Each line of the file is a data record that includes one or more fields, separated by commas. Each line ends with a line break. Commonly used by spreadsheet programs. |
| DOC | A DOC file is a word processing document created in Microsoft Word that may contain text, graphics, tables, and other elements. |
| DOCM | A DOCM file is a word processing document created in Microsoft Word. It contains embedded macros used to automate repetitive or complex Word document tasks. |
| DOCX | A DOCX file is a word processing document created in Microsoft Word. It is the newer DOC version. |
| DOT | A DOT file is a template created in Microsoft Word containing pre-formatted document settings such as headers, footers, page margins, and font styles. Used to create a new Word document. |
| DOTM | A DOTM file is a template created in Microsoft Word containing pre-formatted document settings such as headers, footers, and macros for a document. Used to create a new DOCM document with embedded macros. |
| DOTX | A DOTX file is a template created in Microsoft Word containing pre-formatted document settings such as headers, footers, AutoText, toolbars, and macros. Used to create multiple .DOCX documents with the same formatting. |
| IQY | An IQY file includes a URL and other criteria for executing a query over the Internet. It enables information to be retrieved from an ASP web page and imported into Microsoft Excel. |
| NXLS | An NXLS file is used by various programs for different types of data. |
| ODP | An ODP file is a presentation document created in Impress, a presentation application in the Apache OpenOffice suite. It contains a series of slides that include text, images, media, and other elements. |
| ODT | An ODT file is a word processing document created by various word processing applications. |
| A PDF file is a document generated by Adobe Acrobat or another PDF application in a standard format that can be viewed on multiple platforms. | |
| POT | A POT file is a slide presentation template created in Microsoft PowerPoint. It includes the layout, formatting, and styles for creating a slide presentation. |
| POTM | A POTM file is a macro-enabled presentation template created in Microsoft PowerPoint. It includes the layout, formatting, styles and macros for creating a slide presentation. |
| POTX | A POTX file is a presentation template created in Microsoft PowerPoint and includes default elements for creating a slide presentation. |
| PPA | A PPA file is an add-in file used by Microsoft PowerPoint. It contains custom commands and macros written in the VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) language used to extend the capabilities of Microsoft PowerPoint. |
| PPAM | A PPAM file is an add-in file used by Microsoft PowerPoint. It contains extra commands, custom macros, and new tools for extending default Microsoft PowerPoint functions. |
| PPS | A PPS file is a slide presentation created in Microsoft PowerPoint. It is saved as a completed slide show which can be viewed by several presentation programs. |
| PPSM | A PPSM file is a macro-enabled slide show created in Microsoft PowerPoint. It contains one or more macro-enabled slides. |
| PPSX | A PPSX file is a slide presentation that can be created by several presentation programs. |
| PPT | A PPT file is an editable slide show created in Microsoft PowerPoint or exported by another presentation program, such as OpenOffice Impress or Apple Keynote. |
| PPTM | A PPTM file is a macro-enabled presentation created in Microsoft PowerPoint. |
| PPTX | A PPTX file is a presentation created in Microsoft PowerPoint or exported by another presentation program, such as OpenOffice Impress or Apple Keynote. |
| RTF | An RTF file is a rich text document. Rich text documents can include a variety of formatted text including bolded text, custom fonts, and custom colors. |
| XLS | An XLS file is a spreadsheet file created in Microsoft Excel or exported by another spreadsheet program such as OpenOffice Calc or Apple Numbers. It includes one or more worksheets which store and display data in a table format. |
| XLSB | An XLSB file is a spreadsheet workbook created in Microsoft Excel that includes one or more worksheets which store and display data in a table format. It can include charts and macros. |
| XLSM | An XLSM file is a macro-enabled spreadsheet created in Microsoft Excel. It can include embedded macros programmed in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). |
| XLSX | An XLSX file is an Excel spreadsheet created in Microsoft Excel or exported by another spreadsheet program such as OpenOffice Calc or Apple Numbers. |
File types subject to static scans only
This table describes the file types that receive static scans only.
| 001 | A 001 file is the first file of a split archive created with file splitting and joining utilities. It is used to split large archives into smaller, more manageable files that can be saved onto storage devices or for creating smaller email attachments. |
| 7Z | A 7Z file is a compressed archive created using file compression utilities, such as Igor Pavlov's 7-Zip. |
| ACE | An ACE file is a compressed archive created using WinAce. |
| ARJ | An ARJ file is a compressed archive created using ARJ. |
| BAT | A BAT file is a DOS batch file used to execute commands with the Windows Command Prompt (cmd.exe). |
| BZ | A BZ file is a compressed archive created using Bzip. It is often created on Unix systems with the standard bzip utility. |
| BZ2 | A BZ2 file is a compressed archive created using created by bzip2 that is often found on Unix-based systems and used for Linux software package distributions. |
| CAB | A CAB file is a Microsoft Cabinet Archive file. CAB files contain compressed data and are used for Windows software installations. |
| EPS | An EPS file is a graphic saved in the Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file format. |
| GZ | A GZ file is a compressed archive created using the standard GNU zip (gzip) compression algorithm. |
| JS | A JS file is a text file containing JavaScript code. |
| LHA | An LHA file or group of LHA files compressed with LHARC compression. |
| LZ | An LZ file is a compressed archive created with Lzip. |
| LZH | An LZH file is a compressed archive using Lempel-Ziv and Haruyasu (LZH) compression algorithm. |
| OLE | An OLE file embeds objects to data in other documents. |
| PS1 | A PS1 file is a script written in the Windows PowerShell scripting language, built on Microsoft's .NET Framework. PS1 files are similar to BAT and CMD files. |
| R00 | A R00 file is a compressed archive created using the WinRAR or RAR file compression utilities. |
| RAR | A RAR file is compressed archive created using RAR compression. |
| SCT | A SCT file is a script used to create a Component Object Model (COM) component that may be written in various scripting languages such as VBScript, JavaScript, or JScript. |
| SWF | A SWF file is an contains animation content written in ActionScript. It is saved in the Adobe Flash format which was discontinued by Adobe at the end of 2020. |
| TAR | A TAR file is an archive created by tar, a Unix-based utility used to package files together. |
| TAZ | A TAZ file is compressed Unix TAR archive. |
| TBZ | A TBZ file is a compressed Unix TAR archive created with BZIP compression. |
| TBZ2 | A TBZ2 file is an archive created with both TAR and BZ2 compression. |
| TGZ | A TGZ file is a Unix TAR archive created with Gnu Zip (GZIP) compression. |
| TLZ | A TLZ file is a compressed TAR archive created with LZip. |
| TXZ | A TXZ file is an archive containing one or more files first archived using tar and then compressed using XZ compression. |
| UU | A UU file contains the textual encoding of an original binary file. Created by uuencode, it is a Unix program used for converting binary data to text. Often used to email a binary file in a text format so that the file does not become corrupted. |
| UUE | A UUE file is a file encoded with uuencode. It stores the encoded textual representation of a binary file and must be decoded to open the original file. |
| VBA | A VBA file is a file written using Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications, an event-driven programming language used mostly with Microsoft Office applications. |
| VBS | A VBS file is a Virtual Basic script written in the VBScript scripting language. |
| XXE | An XXE file is a 7-bit ASCII text file that can be sent via e-mail without being corrupted. Used by older email programs that do not recognize binary attachments. |
| XZ | An XZ file is a compressed archive created using XZ compression. |
| Z | A Z file is a compressed file used to store files on Unix-based machines. |
| ZIP | A ZIP file is a compressed archive containing one or more files compressed or "zipped" with Zip compression. |
| ZIPX | A ZIPX file is a ZIP archive that has been compressed in the extended Zip format (Zipx) developed by CorelWinZip. |
