Even though the file name always sounds benign and familiar, like “setup.exe,” that familiar name can be a security red flag to a computer that instantly shares data with the cloud. Don’t be fooled by a name.

The good news is every software program has a unique identifier called the “MD5 hash.” No matter if the file name changes 50 times, the MD5 hash for that specific software will stay the same . Once a program is determined to be a virus or malware, PC Matic’s cloud sharing instantly updates the lists of virus names and bad MD5 hashes that every computer accesses, creating an additional layer to block many file names that escape detection of traditional security software.

If file names can be spoofed, certainly product names can be too. Read more.