Please note:
This is a post of an original article by Mr. Robert Vamosi.

Jeffrey Ottie
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The Windows Scrap Object (.SHS) Explained

By Robert Vamosi
ZDNet Help & How-To
June 20, 2000 11:14 AM PT
http://www.zdnet.com/zdhelp/stories/main/0,5594,2590847,00.html

There are several file extensions within Windows 95/98/NT that the average
user has never heard of and probably will never encounter. The designers of
the Windows Operating System were so confident of this that some file
extensions are not visible within Windows Explorer, even if you have
selected the options to display all files and all file extensions. The
Windows Scrap Object (.SHS) falls within this stealth category.

According to Microsoft, the SHS file is a special OLE object that can be
created within Word documents or Excel worksheets. By selecting an area of
text or a graphic within the document and then dragging and dropping it
somewhere onto the desktop, anyone can create a Windows Scrap Object, or SHS
file. It is not a readable file. You can, however, rename the SHS file as
you would any other file, or drag the SHS object into another document (as
you would cut and paste).


Make Your Own .SHS File

How easy is it to make a Windows Scrap Object?  Very.
Simply follow these steps:

    Minimize Microsoft Word so that the desktop is showing.

    Select some line of text or a graphic within the open Word document.

    Drag the selected lines of text or the graphic to the desktop. A scrap
    file has been created. You can now drag the .SHS file to other documents
    or programs.


What Good Is It?

Say you have to cut and paste multiple objects into multiple documents. The
Clipboard feature in Windows retains only the last item copied, so your task
could get tedious. However, by using Window Scrap Objects, you could instead
create several desktop objects that contain only the lines of text or
graphic images you will later move into other documents. When you are ready
to paste, simply click on the Scrap Object and drag it from the desktop into
an open document. When you are done, the SHS objects themselves can be
dragged to the Recycle Bin and purged.

Having said this, it is important to remember that the Windows Scrap Object
file is first and foremost an empty shell. For example, a Word for Windows
SHS file might only contain default margin settings. However, when sent as
an attachment to an e-mail, the .SHS file might also contain malicious code
that could wipe out all your computer files.


Be Wary Of Strangers Bearing Gifts

Virus writers are very aware of these stealth extensions. The current trick
is to send virus attachments with a recognizable beginning and then tack on
some extension such as .SHS. For example, a user receiving a file named
FAMILY_PHOTO.JPG.SHS might only "see" FAMILY_PHOTO.JPG. The user then opens
it knowing that a .JPG file is usually a photograph. It is important to read
the entire file name and be wary of any extra file extensions such as .VBS
or .SHS. It is also a good idea to delete any such attachments when they
first arrive, especially from unsolicited sources.

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