According to a recent announcement, Gmail will start blocking .js file attachments starting February 13, 2017.

Blocking specific attachment types isn’t something that is new to Gmail. They already block attaching file attachments that are .exe, .msc, and .bat types. The recent move to add javascript files is most likely related to the recent malware/ransomware campaigns that have started using JavaScript files instead of Microsoft Office files. There was an article posted back in April discussing this trend.

If you are still looking to send another person a JavaScript file, you can just use other services, like Google Drive, Dropbox, or other similar products. While the change doesn’t block all potential avenues for ransomware to be sent via email, it does help reduce the risk of this particular method.

As a user, we still must be attentive to other attack vectors, such as macros within Microsoft Word files which can be used to infect systems. There may be a resurgence of these methods as the JavaScript files start getting blocked.

This move does beg the question as to why not force all attachments to go through a storage service, rather than directly attached to the email. Would that actually create a larger risk with the abundance of links now being sent within emails? Would it just move the threat from your inbox to the cloud service? It would be interesting to get a bigger picture of this landscape for better understanding.

Jardine Software helps companies get more value from their application security programs. Let’s talk about how we can help you. James Jardine is the CEO and Principal Consultant at Jardine Software Inc. He has over 15 years of combined development and security experience. If you are interested in learning more about Jardine Software, you can reach him at james@jardinesoftware.com or @jardinesoftware on twitter.