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.deb

High risk

Debian Package

The package format for Debian-based Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Mint, etc.). Installs, upgrades, and removes software via dpkg / apt.

MIME types

  • application/vnd.debian.binary-package

Category

executable

What opens this file

  • dpkg
  • apt
  • gdebi
  • Synaptic

How to open by OS

Windows

  • Through WSL Ubuntu.

Mac

  • Not supported.

Linux

  • Debian / Ubuntu / Linux Mint and derivatives.

Ios

  • Cydia (jailbroken devices only).

Android

  • Not supported.

Safety notes

  • Non-repository debs often ship unsigned and execute arbitrary commands from postinst. Verify provenance.
  • dpkg -i misses dependency resolution; prefer apt install ./pkg.deb so dependencies resolve automatically.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping GPG key verification when adding a third-party apt repo makes tampering invisible.
  • Loose dependency ranges in control files cause behaviour drift across environments.

Related extensions

References