Google Chrome believes 7-zip sfx archive is a virus

Question

I usually deliver a SDK I'm working on as a 7-zip self extracting archive (.exe).

The problem is that when I put this on a HTTP server and try to download it with google chrome, the browser believes it is a virus and wants to delete it (I don't have any anti-virus software installed, it's just the checker built in chrome).

If I pack up the same binaries as a .7z, the warning from chrome doesn't show up.

Is there a way to circumvent this problem? Should 7zip sfx archive be banished for online distribution?

Answer 1

Google Chrome is warning the user who download your .exe file because the file was not downloaded many time across the web. Also, Chrome recognises the ".exe" extension as potentially harmful.

The only way to bypass this is by renaming the file extension or by creating a .zip file supported basically by all OS containing your .exe file.

Or just wait until your file has been downloaded a bunch of time - enough to make disapear the Warning display on Chrome.

Hope it helps.