ZIP files are compressed files or collections of files created using the ZIP format, originally developed by Phil Katz in 1986. The files can be stored on a Zip disk, which is similar to floppy disk technology. Other companies have created ZIP utilities, including WinZip and MacZip. Some files without a .ZIP extension are actually ZIP files, and there are other file extensions that include or refer to the word zip and archive. In 2010, malware attacks using ZIP files emerged, including worms offered via instant messages and malware hidden in fake job resumes sent to HR departments.
A ZIP file is a file on a Zip disk or a compressed file or collection of files created in an archive using the ZIP format. The Zip disk is a product introduced in 1995 by Iomega® that is similar to floppy disk technology. Disks are available in 100MB, 250MB, and 750MB variants. 3.5-inch (8.89 cm) discs are portable and rewritable, and like a computer, can hold a wide variety of various file types, so in this case, the zip file can be pretty much any file small enough to fit on a Zip disk.
After Phil Katz developed file compression algorithms in the early 1980s, he designed the PKZIP® and PKUNZIP® programs, which were produced by his company PKWARE® for the DOS operating system. The ZIP standard was developed by Katz in 1986, and the algorithms for zipping and unzipping have been made public. Other companies then created ZIP utilities, including Nico Mak Computing® — sometimes rendered as “Nico Mac” — which became WinZip® and was acquired by Corel® and Netzip®, made by Software Builders International®. WinZip® is a ZIP version for the Microsoft® Windows® operating system and PKWare® now also makes ZIPs for Windows®, while MacZip is made for Apple® computer users and Zip and UnZip work on UNIX®. A split in the ZIP standard occurred between 2001 and 2003, when PKWARE® and WinZip® went in different directions using different specifications.
Some files that don’t have a .ZIP extension are actually ZIP files. These include JAR files with the .jar extension and Open XML files in Microsoft® Office® 2007 with the .docx extension. In addition to ZIP files, there are other file extensions that include or refer to the word zip and archive, compression, or both. These include 7-zip, ALZip, bzip2, gzip, lzip and rzip.
In May 2010, several types of malware attacks using ZIP files emerged. In the first case, the malware is offered via an innocent-looking instant message on Yahoo! Instant Messenger® or Skype®, but when you click on the image file, the ZIP file offered for download contains a worm. In a similar time frame, security vendors informed the public that HR departments had been targeted with an email that appeared to have a job resume attached in a ZIP file, but the ZIP actually contains malware.
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