Dangerzone

Questions & Answers

What is Dangerzone?

Dangerzone is a free and open-source tool that converts potentially dangerous documents (PDFs, office files, images) into safe PDFs. It achieves this by rendering the document to pixels in a secure sandbox and then reconstructing it as a new, clean PDF.

Who should use Dangerzone?

Dangerzone is for anyone who needs to open or interact with untrusted documents, such as email attachments, without risking malware infection. Journalists, activists, and security-conscious individuals are primary users.

How does Dangerzone enhance document security compared to other methods?

Dangerzone's unique approach involves converting documents to raw pixel data within a network-isolated sandbox, then rebuilding them. This process eliminates embedded malicious code or exploits that might persist in simpler document conversions or antivirus scans, providing a higher level of sanitization.

When is the best time to use Dangerzone?

Use Dangerzone whenever you receive a document from an untrusted source or are unsure of its origin and want to view it safely. It's particularly useful before opening email attachments or downloaded files that could contain malware.

What types of files does Dangerzone support for conversion?

Dangerzone supports over 20 file types, including common office-suite formats (like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint), PDFs, and various image types. This broad compatibility allows it to sanitize a wide range of potentially malicious documents.