is it possible to infect from virus by executing video file?

[kenny1999]

hi, I am not a tech geck so I hope this is not a ''too stupid'' question

It's well-known that if it's possible and likely that we will infect from virus if we execute EXE from untrusted source.

I'd like to know if it's possible to infect from virus of any type by executing a video file of common format like MOV, MPG, AVI, MP4, MKV etc...

Most of the time when I have a file, if it looks like a video file, I will execute it immediately without scanning or checking. Is it possible that a virus is embedded into a video file and once someone executes it, virus is quietly infected?

I start to be concerned about computer and data security.

[netmask56]

I've not had any experience of this with a standard video file ie mpg, mkv, Avi etc. but if you are concerned check the file with a malware or virus checker. Also you could use MediaInfo to give you a report on the contents of the video fils. This program is essential IMO for anyone handling video or audio files. Especially important if asking for assistance with a troublesome file

[DB83]

Some years ago, I saw some avi's that executed code that suggested you click a link to get the required codec.

Some companies do put fake files on to torrent sites but these are usually done just to see who might download them.

So, I guess, the answer is YES. But if your video has not come from a trusted source then do scan it as suggested above. And, if in doubt, bin it or face the consequences.

[Bjs]

Only indirectly

All video can be wrapped in exe and simply have name extension changed to any video extension ... wmv can have embedded license hacks which inform the user to download a player which is loaded with malware.

Should you ever see this tell users not to install the players and to obtain source from trusted sites only.

[Cornucopia]

Understand, however, that the "default" when double-clicking an EXE (or COM or BAT...) is to RUN (aka execute) that app. The default when double-clicking a video file is to find what existing app supports opening/playing/editing/converted that kind of video file, and sending said video file to that app to be opened/played/edited. (In the absence of an existing app, the default is usually to ask which app can do this, or ask to download & install an app first).

The former is an active "action", the latter is a passive "content/object", operated on by an external action. So, unless the codec in use has an exploit that allows engaging actions (and the object is loaded to take advantage of that exploit), further infection is not possible.

Scott

[jagabo]

Only indirectly

In theory a buffer overrun exploit could be used to execute code embedded in the video. In practice I don't recall hearing of this in the wild. But that doesn't mean one couldn't appear tomorrow.

Even worse, if you have Explorer's "hide extensions for known file types" turned on (inexplicably the the default in Windows) you may not notice that your "video file" is really an exe.