Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: TequilaChaser on December 23, 2009, 11:15:46 AM

Title: Heads Up for Adobe Reader Software Users - open hole security issue
Post by: TequilaChaser on December 23, 2009, 11:15:46 AM
Just a heads up for any who use Adobe Reader for PDF file reading....... affects all Current & older Adobe Reader versions

http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Despite-increasingly-frequent-attacks-no-update-for-Adobe-s-Reader-891151.html

http://blogs.adobe.com/psirt/2009/12/new_adobe_reader_and_acrobat_v.html

WEB BROWSER Check:  weblink to provide individuals useful help to find your personal compromise..not everyone uses the Web for the same thing!!!
http://www.h-online.com/security/services/Browsercheck-732895.html


I have had my ESET Smart Security 4, pop up 2 or 3 times and quarantined a few of these in the last month, where my oldest Daughter has been surfing on my PC, while visiting.... I for one,  love ESET's ability & quickness to stop anything like this.......

I am not a user of myspace, facebook, twitter or anything like these sites, but even though I might not go to these places, my Daughter did and once she saw these embedded links, and what pops up showing the webpage is infected has made her rethink of where and what she does on a PC...

I know alot of us here search and download PDF files, researching WWII references etc....... never know what website might have an infected PDF file / supposed acting PDF file Link  that is not what it appears to be.......

in any case.....HEADS UP.......

hope this is of value to someone!!!

Title: Re: Heads Up for Adobe Reader Software Users - open hole security issue
Post by: Skuzzy on December 23, 2009, 11:28:49 AM
Why are you using Acrobat anyway?  Foxit Reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/) is smaller, faster and works as well, if not better, than Acrobat.
Title: Re: Heads Up for Adobe Reader Software Users - open hole security issue
Post by: Ghosth on December 23, 2009, 11:33:32 AM
I agree, recently did some looking and chose foxit over adobe. Smaller, quicker to load with the same functionality.

Title: Re: Heads Up for Adobe Reader Software Users - open hole security issue
Post by: TequilaChaser on December 23, 2009, 11:38:17 AM
Why are you using Acrobat anyway?  Foxit Reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/) is smaller, faster and works as well, if not better, than Acrobat.

He, Skuzzy, I actually had went and downloaded Foxit, from a past thread where you suggested it...... but I normally use Adobe Acrobat, for both my making PDF files, annotating them and reading them....... I still have the older Foxit reader program downloaded......... but do not have it installed anymore.....

I am not up to date on the current Foxit Reader, but it too has had vulnerabilities this year just the same, from a quick search....
http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Security-update-for-Foxit-Reader-742157.html

I think it is safe to say, it is when people turn off updates, or do not thoroughly go thru and "manually update" their software, is when they will run into the most trouble...... not always but most times.....

anything man made, is not perfect and will always need tweaking to be better.... my personal view, that is......

EDIT: I was not using Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat, when my ESET SS4 popped up the warnings & quarantined them...... my Daughter was only surfing the web......... the infected files or weblinked files acting like they were PDF files ( embedded stuff on the webpage ) is what triggered the antivirus program portion and alarmed her/me of a potential threat......

so my initial posting maybe a little misleading, the hole in the software, or holes in any software, people can take advantage of and write inefected script to embed on websites, or what not....... someone maynot even know they have downloaded such an inefected file, simply by clicking on a website.......
Title: Re: Heads Up for Adobe Reader Software Users - open hole security issue
Post by: Skuzzy on December 23, 2009, 12:15:58 PM
I was not clear either.  I was not addressing the question of what to use from the security perspective.  I was just questioning the use of Acrobat in general.  I find the editor and reader from Foxit to be a much better product in many areas.