Is there any security risk if a malicious Microsoft Word (.doc) file is opened with the Apple Pages app?

apple.stackexchange https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/399952

Question

An infected .doc file (VirusTotal report) was sent to a Mac via email and was opened with the Apple Pages app.

I did some research on my own and the only information I got is that a .doc file can cause damage by using macros when it is opened with the Microsoft Word app and macros are allowed. But the Apple Pages app doesn't support macros, so there shouldn't be a risk when it converts the .doc file to be able to open and display it.

Is there any other risk of a .doc file being harmful when it is opened with the Apple Pages app?

Was it helpful?

Solution

Theoretically any file can be a security risk if opened in an application, be it via malicious macros, be it via being tampered with to cause buffer overflows, be it somehow else.

Practically Pages can't run Word macros so opening Word documents in Pages should be safe.

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