Legitimate BKA Files

• An outdated photo editing program called PhotoBase uses the BKA extension for its backup files. The software's owner, ArcSoft, no longer supports any version of PhotoBase and does not provide current software to open BKA files. If your computer ever had PhotoBase installed, your BKA files are probably safe to open if you still have software that can open them.
  
  

Malicious Software

• Most BKA files are likely to be viruses, spyware or other malware that can damage your computer or expose your personal information to others. The most common viruses and spyware using this extension appeared in 2004 to 2006, so check the "Date Added" listing in Windows Explorer to see if your BKA files date back to this range. New malware may also use that extension, so be wary of the files even if they are more recent than 2006.
  
  

Identification

• You cannot always identify viruses by their file names, although some may have the word "Worm," "Dialer" or "Downloader" before the BKA file extension. However, the same virus often has many variations, so keeping up with exact file names may still not detect every possible malicious BKA file. Fortunately, reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware software looks at the file's behavior as well as the name. If your BKA files have characteristics similar to the way known malware operates, the security software can identify the program as a virus or spyware and help you remove it.
  
  

Common Confusion

• At a glance, it can be easy to swap letters in file extensions. If you find that your unknown files have the extension BAK rather than BKA, these files aren't likely to harm your computer. There is still some potential for malware in BAK files, but this extension is generally associated with a backup file, such as certain Windows system backups or the Mozilla Firefox Web browser bookmark backup file.