How safe are .pdf documents?

Filed in archive Software on September 22, 2007

Usually in business we assume that using .pdf (Adobe Documents) is rather safe. So much do we trust .pdf documents that we usually open them directly from email considering them to be like any other file on an already secured system.



No longer can we make that assumption. PCWorld in an article "Hacker Finds Serious Flaw in Adobe PDF" suggests that there is a gaping flaw in the .pdf software that will allow a hacker to execute code after opening a .pdf document.

Apparently, Adobe has acknowledged the flaw and is working on a patch to stop this vulnerability. Particularly if you work on a Windows XP operating system and use adobe acrobat 8.1 you may be vulnerable.

If you are working on a Linux operating system apparently you do not have much to worry about particularly if you are not using Adobe Acrobat to read your .pdf files. So do be careful and watch for further announcements about using .pdf files as the wider the net is set by Adobe to cover this problem they might find that it affects more than just Windows XP.

My suggestion is that unless you absolutely know from whom you are receiving a .pdf file and you work on Windows XP, do not open it until further notice from Adobe. Everyone else I think can open a .pdf file but take some care, you never know what else is going to come up in regards to .pdf files.