Once executed, the malware often employs a "silent" start. It may open a genuine image in the default photo viewer to distract the user while the malicious payload installs itself in the background, ensuring persistence by modifying registry keys to run every time the computer starts. The Ethics of Surveillance Tools
Tools like VirusTotal or a virtual machine can analyze a suspicious file without risking the host system. Conclusion
Disabling "Hide extensions for known file types" in Windows allows users to see if a file is actually an .exe .