Once extracted, look at the actual file extensions. Be extremely cautious of .exe , .bat , or .scr files if you were expecting a document or a video, as these are executable files that can run code on your computer.

Before extracting, upload the file to VirusTotal . This service scans the file against over 70 different antivirus engines to check for malware.

A free, open-source alternative that supports almost all compression formats. The Unarchiver : A popular, free choice for macOS users. 3. Safety Precautions (Highly Recommended)