While browsing Reddit, I came across a post where a user mentioned accidentally downloading a malicious file while using Sonarr.
Sonarr is an application that lets users download content via peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.
The file they downloaded was a .lnk (LNK) file which is a type of shortcut file in Windows. LNK files can be used to disguise file extensions, making it easy to hide malicious code from unsuspecting users.
Since Sonarr, or qbit for that matter, cannot distinguish between safe and malicious files, it’s important to take steps to protect your system from these kinds of attacks.
One particularly useful comment in the thread, from user u/Hapshedus, referenced a PasteBin list of file extensions that should be blocked in qBittorrent. These extensions are unrelated to what Sonarr or other Servarr tools would typically download, so ensuring that they are blocked from download is a smart move.
Since this information isn’t always obvious, I thought a simple guide could help others. Here’s how you can safeguard your system against the automatic download of potentially harmful files.
The following showcases qbit 5.0.1.
- Within qBit, click the gear icon or navigate to Tools > Options.
- Select the Downloads tab and scroll down to the Exclude file names section.
- Tick the box for Exclude file names and enter the following file extensions for the downloader to ignore:
*(sample).*
*.0xe
*.73k
*.73p
*.7z
*.89k
*.89z
*.8ck
*.a7r
*.ac
*.acc
*.ace
*.acr
*.actc
*.action
*.actm
*.ade
*.adp
*.afmacro
*.afmacros
*.ahk
*.ai
*.aif
*.air
*.alz
*.api
*.apk
*.app
*.appimage
*.applescript
*.application
*.appx
*.arc
*.arj
*.arscript
*.asb
*.asp
*.aspx
*.aspx-exe
*.atmx
*.azw2
*.ba_
*.bak
*.bas
*.bash
*.bat
*.bdjo
*.bdmv
*.beam
*.bin
*.bmp
*.bms
*.bns
*.bsa
*.btm
*.bz2
*.c
*.cab
*.caction
*.cci
*.cda
*.cdb
*.cel
*.celx
*.cfs
*.cgi
*.cheat
*.chm
*.ckpt
*.cla
*.class
*.clpi
*.cmd
*.cof
*.coffee
*.com
*.command
*.conf
*.config
*.cpl
*.crt
*.cs
*.csh
*.csharp
*.csproj
*.css
*.csv
*.cue
*.cur
*.cyw
*.daemon
*.dat
*.data-00000-of-00001
*.db
*.deamon
*.deb
*.dek
*.diz
*.dld
*.dll
*.dmc
*.dmg
*.doc
*.docb
*.docm
*.docx
*.dot
*.dotb
*.dotm
*.drv
*.ds
*.dw
*.dword
*.dxl
*.e_e
*.ear
*.ebacmd
*.ebm
*.ebs
*.ebs2
*.ecf
*.eham
*.elf
*.elf-so
*.email
*.emu
*.epk
*.es
*.esh
*.etc
*.ex4
*.ex5
*.ex_
*.exe
*.exe-only
*.exe-service
*.exe-small
*.exe1
*.exopc
*.exz
*.ezs
*.ezt
*.fas
*.fba
*.fky
*.flac
*.flatpak
*.flv
*.fpi
*.frs
*.fxp
*.gadget
*.gat
*.gif
*.gifv
*.gm9
*.gpe
*.gpu
*.gs
*.gz
*.h5
*.ham
*.hex
*.hlp
*.hms
*.hpf
*.hta
*.hta-psh
*.htaccess
*.htm
*.html
*.icd
*.icns
*.ico
*.idx
*.iim
*.img
*.index
*.inf
*.ini
*.ink
*.ins
*.ipa
*.ipf
*.ipk
*.ipsw
*.iqylink
*.iso
*.isp
*.isu
*.ita
*.izh
*.izma ace
*.jar
*.java
*.jpeg
*.jpg
*.js
*.js_be
*.js_le
*.jse
*.jsf
*.json
*.jsp
*.jsx
*.kix
*.ksh
*.kx
*.lck
*.ldb
*.lib
*.link
*.lnk
*.lo
*.lock
*.log
*.loop-vbs
*.ls
*.m3u
*.m4a
*.mac
*.macho
*.mamc
*.manifest
*.mcr
*.md
*.mda
*.mdb
*.mde
*.mdf
*.mdn
*.mdt
*.mel
*.mem
*.meta
*.mgm
*.mhm
*.mht
*.mhtml
*.mid
*.mio
*.mlappinstall
*.mlx
*.mm
*.mobileconfig
*.model
*.moo
*.mp3
*.mpa
*.mpk
*.mpls
*.mrc
*.mrp
*.ms
*.msc
*.msh
*.msh1
*.msh1xml
*.msh2
*.msh2xml
*.mshxml
*.msi
*.msi-nouac
*.msix
*.msl
*.msp
*.mst
*.msu
*.mxe
*.n
*.ncl
*.net
*.nexe
*.nfo
*.nrg
*.num
*.nzb.bz2
*.nzb.gz
*.nzbs
*.ocx
*.odt
*.ore
*.ost
*.osx
*.osx-app
*.otm
*.out
*.ova
*.p
*.paf
*.pak
*.pb
*.pcd
*.pdb
*.pdf
*.pea
*.perl
*.pex
*.phar
*.php
*.php5
*.pif
*.pkg
*.pl
*.plsc
*.plx
*.png
*.pol
*.pot
*.potm
*.powershell
*.ppam
*.ppkg
*.pps
*.ppsm
*.ppt
*.pptm
*.pptx
*.prc
*.prg
*.ps
*.ps1
*.ps1xml
*.ps2
*.ps2xml
*.psc1
*.psc2
*.psd
*.psd1
*.psh
*.psh-cmd
*.psh-net
*.psh-reflection
*.psm1
*.pst
*.pt
*.pvd
*.pwc
*.pxo
*.py
*.pyc
*.pyd
*.pyo
*.python
*.pyz
*.qit
*.qpx
*.ram
*.rar
*.raw
*.rb
*.rbf
*.rbx
*.readme
*.reg
*.resources
*.resx
*.rfs
*.rfu
*.rgs
*.rm
*.rox
*.rpg
*.rpj
*.rpm
*.ruby
*.run
*.rxe
*.s2a
*.sample
*.sapk
*.savedmodel
*.sbs
*.sca
*.scar
*.scb
*.scf
*.scpt
*.scptd
*.scr
*.script
*.sct
*.seed
*.server
*.service
*.sfv
*.sh
*.shb
*.shell
*.shortcut
*.shs
*.shtml
*.sit
*.sitx
*.sk
*.sldm
*.sln
*.smm
*.snap
*.snd
*.spr
*.sql
*.sqx
*.srec
*.srt
*.ssm
*.sts
*.sub
*.svg
*.swf
*.sys
*.tar
*.tar.gz
*.tbl
*.tbz
*.tcp
*.text
*.tf
*.tgz
*.thm
*.thmx
*.thumb
*.tiapp
*.tif
*.tiff
*.tipa
*.tmp
*.tms
*.toast
*.torrent
*.tpk
*.txt
*.u3p
*.udf
*.upk
*.upx
*.url
*.uvm
*.uw8
*.vb
*.vba
*.vba-exe
*.vba-psh
*.vbapplication
*.vbe
*.vbs
*.vbscript
*.vbscript
*.vcd
*.vdo
*.vexe
*.vhd
*.vhdx
*.vlx
*.vm
*.vmdk
*.vob
*.vocab
*.vpm
*.vxp
*.war
*.wav
*.wbk
*.wcm
*.webm
*.widget
*.wim
*.wiz
*.wma
*.workflow
*.wpk
*.wpl
*.wpm
*.wps
*.ws
*.wsc
*.wsf
*.wsh
*.x86
*.x86_64
*.xaml
*.xap
*.xbap
*.xbe
*.xex
*.xig
*.xla
*.xlam
*.xll
*.xlm
*.xls
*.xlsb
*.xlsm
*.xlsx
*.xlt
*.xltb
*.xltm
*.xlw
*.xml
*.xqt
*.xrt
*.xys
*.xz
*.ygh
*.z
*.zip
*.zipx
*.zl9
*.zoo
*sample.avchd
*sample.avi
*sample.mkv
*sample.mov
*sample.mp4
*sample.webm
*sample.wmv
Trailer.*
VOSTFR
api- The list can be altered depending on the expected downloads.
- Finally, click Save at the bottom of the Options menu.
Remember to stay safe out there and be smart when downloading from the internet!
© 2024 Justin Vendette