Fios Clarify: Supported File Information

Fios Clarify extracts data from email, Microsoft Office files, and from common file formats such as PDF. For a complete, current list of supported file types, please download this PDF.

Fios Clarify cannot process files that are corrupted, fragmented, or password-protected.

To find out why files were not processed, run the “Non Processable File Detail Report.” Access this report from the fly-out menus under the Report icon.

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For each file not processed, you will see

  • File ID
  • File Extension
  • Full File Name
  • Hash Value
  • File size

Export the report in CSV format and open it in a spreadsheet application such as Excel. You will now be able to sort the report by its columns to quickly identify and cull non-processed files that warrant no further investigation.

Some common reasons a file may not have been processed are:

  • File Size = 0 Bytes.
    If the file size is 0 Bytes, there is no data in the file to be processed.
  • File Extension represents a file type that is not supported.
    Example: File Extension = .mdb
    A file with the extension “.mdb” is likely to be a Microsoft Access database, which is not a supported file type. Note that a file’s extension does not necessarily indicate the file’s type. Fios Clarify will determine the file’s type based on the actual structure and content of the file.
  • A file may be password protected. In this case, the password must be supplied so the file can be opened.
  • A file may be corrupted.

How to find and investigate a non-processed file

Once your spreadsheet contains only files that you think should have been processed, but weren’t, you can use one of the two following methods to figure out why a given file was not processed. Both methods describe how to find, download, and attempt to open a non-processed, native file.

Method 1

  1. Copy the File ID from the Non Processable File Detail Report.
  2. Click on the Search icon to open the search pane.
  3. Open the Field Search pane.
  4. Select “FileID” from the “Field” drop-down menu.
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  5. Select “EQUALS( = )” from the menu to the right of the Field menu.
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  6. Paste the File ID into the text entry box below the Field menu.
  7. Click the “ADD” button.
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  8. Click the “Search” button to run the search.
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  9. From the results screen, click the Download Native icon.
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  10. Save the file.
  11. Try opening the file with the application you think created the file. Please be aware that you are opening a native, not-processed file. Fios Clarify can make no guarantees regarding the virus status of native files.

Method 2

  1. Follow steps 1 and 2 in Method 1.
  2. Construct and execute a search query string that includes the File ID. Type this directly into the Search Query field on the Search page. The query syntax is as follows:
    FileID = XXXXX
    where XXXX is the File ID of the file you wish to investigate.
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  3. Click the Search button to run the search.
  4. Follow Method 1 from step 9 to download and open the native file.

Common file types that are not processed

Files with extensions in the list below will not be processed, as they are not supported file types. For more information on file types, see fileinfo.com.

.aspx
A Microsoft web server file
.cab
Windows cabinet file, an archive format frequently used in installer packages
.cat
A disk catalog database used to organize and track information within a collection of media (DVDs, CDs, etc.)
.chm
Help documentation saved in a compressed HTML format
.class
A file that contains machine-readable code in Java
.db
A generic database file.
.dwg
An AutoCAD drawing database file containing data and metadata that describe the contents of an AutoCAD 2D or 3D file
.hlp
Windows help file
.mdb
A Microsoft Access database file
.msi
A Windows installer package
.msp
A Windows installer patch
.mst
A Windows Installer setup file
.obj
3D Object file containing data used in 3D image editing programs
.otf
OpenType font, a file format for fonts
.pf
Private File, a password-protected, compressed, encrypted file created by Stuffit Deluxe. Password is required to open the file.
.pnf
A Windows system file
.pyc
A machine readable file written in the Python programming language
.sdb
A Windows database that contains system configuration information so upgrades and patches can be installed.
.swf
A file containing images and text that can be interacted with in a web browser or with the Adobe Flash Player.
.ttf
TrueType font, a file format used for fonts