Zip Bomb
The Tiny File That Can Crash Big Systems
What Is a Zip Bomb?
A Zip Bomb is a tiny compressed file that expands into massive data when unpacked. It’s designed to overwhelm antivirus tools and system resources.
How Does It Work?
By compressing repetitive data thousands of times, a zip bomb may grow from 10 KB to hundreds of GBs or more, crashing systems upon decompression.
Why Zip Bombs Are Dangerous
Bypasses basic antivirus scans
Disrupts system performance
Can hide malware inside
Difficult to detect until it’s too late
Real-World Example
The file “42.zip” is only 42 KB in size, but when extracted, expands into 4.5 petabytes — enough to freeze most systems instantly.
How to Stay Safe
Don’t open unknown zip files
Use smart antivirus tools with decompression limits
Educate teams about suspicious attachments
Scan files in sandboxed environments
