Google will block javascript as attachments in Gmail from February

Google has announced that starting February 13, it will be blocking attachments in Gmail that use the js file extension. The company does this because javascript files can be used to spread malware.

In the announcement, Google writes that users who still want to send javascript files can use Google Drive, for example. Google blocks some file types in Gmail because they can potentially spread malware. The block should apply to all users within two to three days of release in mid-February.

With that, js files follow other extensions, such as exe, cmd, vbs, and jar. These extensions are also not allowed in compressed form. Also, archive files that have a password cannot be attached to a Gmail message.

The limitation of extensions can protect users from various forms of malware. Other methods, such as phishing, are still possible. For example, a security company recently warned about a Gmail phishing campaign that attempts to steal user credentials with images that look like attachments.