There are rumors going around talking about .exe files.
What does it actually stand for?

when green flag clicked
if <answer is (they are actually scary)> then
Panic
end

Not all of them. It's just that things such as sonic.exe or whatever made it look like it's scary and dangerous.
But they can be harmful to your computer so it's best to be safe.

Computer nerd here.

I'd just like to say - yes, this post WAS edited using ChatGPT, but only really for the confusing or unreadable bits which are highlighted in a light blue colour like so. Everything else was completely made by me.

.exe (short for executable, named after what you would do with a .exe file - namely, execute it) files in of themselves are fairly innocuous, as they're basically just any program that can run in Windows-based machines. That means that the Windows distribution of stuff like Google Chrome are technically .exe files. (To delve into a more technical explanation, .exe files originate from a compiler tasked with the compilation of source code. The compiler transforms this source code into Assembly language during the compilation process. Yes, that means that the source code is included in every program you run. Indeed, tools such as Ghidra are specifically designed to extract assembly code from programs. Nevertheless, deciphering the assembly language proves to be a formidable challenge unless one possesses an exceptional proficiency in its comprehension. Moreover, the presence of code obfuscation further compounds the intricacy, rendering the task of reading the code substantially more arduous.)

.exe files are only as “scary” as the program itself. So, for example, a horror game that just so happens to be an .exe would definitely be scary. However, Google Chrome won't be as scary.

However, there is indeed the very real and rational fear of malware. As I said before, "they're basically just any program that can run in Windows-based machines". Any - in this situation - can range from some 8-year-old's basic Python script to Google Chrome to programs that can encrypt your entire data and ask for Bitcoin in order to restore it to programs that can steal your credentials and send it off to some server in Russia without you even knowing.

Are .exe files viruses?

when green flag clicked
if <reply is (yeah)> then
Panic
Cry
Scream
Delete all .exe files from my Linux
end

LizzyAnd_The_Unicorn wrote:

Are .exe files viruses?

when green flag clicked
if <reply is (yeah)> then
Panic
Cry
Scream
Delete all .exe files from my Linux
end

Some .exe files are malicious, but not all.

LizzyAnd_The_Unicorn wrote:

Are .exe files viruses?

~snip~

Not all .exe files are viruses. The majority of them are most likely just some hobbyist's obscure programs.

For the sake of our sanity - no.

They're programs for a Windows computer, while they can be made with malicious intent, not a lot of them are.

I'd recommend trying to download these from places like Steam or the Microsoft Store though, just to be safe.

LizzyAnd_The_Unicorn wrote:

There are rumors going around talking about .exe files.
What does it actually stand for?

Windows EXEcutable files.

You are currently using an .exe file to reply to my answer.

INSERT-USER_NAME wrote:

They're programs for a Windows computer, while they can be made with malicious intent, not a lot of them are.

I'd recommend trying to download these from places like Steam or the Microsoft Store though, just to be safe.

Archive is sometimes safe, too.

lgbjuraj wrote:

INSERT-USER_NAME wrote:

They're programs for a Windows computer, while they can be made with malicious intent, not a lot of them are.

I'd recommend trying to download these from places like Steam or the Microsoft Store though, just to be safe.

Archive is sometimes safe, too.

archive.org? If I'm correct, don't they delete viruses that aren't explicitly marked as viruses?

I saw loads of .exe malware

when green flag clicked
Check for .exe malware
if <[.exe] = [malware]> then
DELETE
end

cmd.exe:
control.exe:
explorer.exe:
notepad.exe:
Note: These are all system files, and they are 100% safe. Deleting them could result in your computer not working properly.
cmd.exe is the Windows Command Prompt, control.exe is the Control Panel app, explorer.exe is both the Windows Explorer app and the desktop background renderer, notepad.exe is the Notepad app.

Just dont open them unless you know they are a real program

also Windows Defender thinks that unsigned .exe files are malicious
however signed .exe files can also hold malware

Not all are bad but just be careful if you end up downloading one and dont know if its safe