Email attachments can be dangerous. They might contain malware that causes an infection when downloaded. Even if you get an attachment from someone you know, think about it before opening it and, if you’re unsure if it’s genuine, it’s okay to ask the sender about it. Cyberattackers have become skilled at spoofing return addresses to make it seem like compromised attachments come from trustworthy sources. (By the way, the same advice applies for clicking links and replying to an email).
When you feel comfortable that a file is safe, you can download it. If there’s any lingering worry, the file can be scanned by an up-to-date anti-virus program. A good anti-virus software will be able to scan the contents of the file, even if it compressed, and warn you if it discovers anything suspicious. Never disable an anti-virus when trying to open an attachment.
