DISABLED File Extension

What is the .DISABLED file type?

The .disabled extension is used to control execution capability of executable files (programs) in MS Windows with SpyBot Search & Destroy (S&D), a free (for private use) anti-spyware utility by Safer-Networking Ltd. Self-explanatory, a .disabled file is an executable (or a link to an executable) that has been disabled, i.e. forbidden to run due to security concerns.

To disable a file, the original .exe or .lnk extension would be replaced with the .disabled extension. Thus, a file so treated becomes unknown to Windows and cannot be natively run. Although it may be possible to remove the .disabled extension and make the file runnable again, it is generally not advisable as there may be good reasons for disabling the file.

SpyBot S&D would apply the .disabled extension to any executable (and any link to it) that it identifies as spyware, malware, virus or a trojan horse as well as any executable with a suspicious behavior basing on a heuristic analysis.

The presence of DISABLED files in the system may be strong evidence of security breaches, either past of still present. A thorough check with a reliable antivirus utility would be recommended.

Software to open or convert DISABLED files

Spybot - Search & Destroy by Safer Networking Limited

 

Spybot - Search & Destroy

 

Spybot - Search & Destroy by Safer-Networking Ltd.

 

Spybot - Search & Destroy by PepiMK Software

 

µTorrent by BitTorrent Inc.

 

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