From techtarget.com
Archive files such as the .zip and .rar formats are now the most popular method for spreading malware infections.
The findings from a report by HP Wolf Security mark the first time on the vendor’s records that Microsoft Office documents were not the most popular file format for use in malware attacks. The company’s third-quarter report shows that archive files logged a 42% attack share, while Office was barely behind, at 40%.
The Q3 2022 Quarterly Threat Insights Report also found a significant surge in popularity for archives, as the formats have seen their use grow some 22% since the first quarter of the year. According to the HP Wolf Security team, the primary appeal of archive files to threat actors is that they are harder to detect.