Shortcut masquerading is a deception technique in which a file is made to look like something safer or more familiar, such as a PDF document, when it is really a shortcut or another executable-looking object. The goal is to exploit quick visual judgments so a user clicks before checking the true file type.
This matters because the first click can launch a payload, open a malicious site, or trigger a chain of scripts and downloads. Attackers use it in phishing campaigns, USB-borne lures, and file-sharing scams, often relying on misleading icons, double extensions, or hidden filename details. Defenders should disable extension hiding, inspect file properties, block risky shortcut types where possible, and train users to verify suspicious attachments before opening them. In practice, shortcut masquerading is less about technical novelty than about turning trust and habit into an entry point.