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Acrobat bug can lead to malware installs without even opening an infected file

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lanux128:
just when you thought it was safe to go back to Adobe Reader.. i wonder if Foxit is also affected by this bug. :-\-lanux128 (March 06, 2009, 03:50 AM)
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Why would you go back to adobe? :)-f0dder (March 06, 2009, 03:54 AM)
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i use Foxit Reader but as a part of my work, i need to maintain a portable install of each versions - 6, 7, & 8 to view incompatibilities. btw, it's a joke based on the promotional slogan of Jaws 2, being a bad sequel and all. :)

J-Mac:
Just uninstalled Acro Reader w/Revo Uninstaller. It had surprisingly few left over registry entries. I also have Foxit for viewing PDF files, and Nuance PDF Converter 5 Professional for creating and editing PDF files. That's what I always use anyway. I can't remember what application I installed that also installed Adobe Reader 8 but it did it without asking first. I do remember that much. Pitiful.

Thanks!

Jim

Steven Avery:
Hi Folks,

My normal PDF method is PDF X-Change Viewer, working as a window in Firefox 3.  Also use the PDF Download extension, although I generally just say "Bypass" which opens the new Tab with the PDF. (Sidenote: Linkman opening urls seems to bypass the PDF Download extension, which is fine by me.) Looks real good, when I tried Foxit it did not seem quite as strong, I think it was weaker on viewing and maybe some cut-and-paste issues.  I know PDF-Xchange does my pops CPA tax forms fine.

So I am undecided about uninstalling Acrobat. I hardly use Windows Explorer, and it is unclear .. perhaps it can cause harm just en passant ?

(Added note: Revo didn't do much, apparently it uninstalled from its list .. but it still opens up.  A bit of a puzzle.  Maybe will try a reinstall followed by uninstall.  It also has a security update entry, and there are lots of other Adobe entries.)

Hmm.. my Opera is still opening the Adobe reader.
So Tools-Preferences-Advanced-Download

So I made some changes there .. apparently there is an Opera Plug-in to see the PDF-Xchange inline, but opening in the PDF-Xchange program is good too (biggest disadvantage.. you cannot immediately Linkman bookmark).  Anyway, the Opera plug-in may not really exist yet.

Also I opened PDF X-Change and had it change my system-wide file association to take over.

So now the clunky Adobe reader is probably fully out of the picture ?  Is it still necessary to kill it more ?  Granted that might be a nice finish.

==========================

This is a well-done view of PDF X-Change

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pesala/Home/html/pdf-xchange.html
PDF-XChange - Free PDF Viewer

Yes, I know Fox-It is a great program too, and leaner and quicker in some ways.  So it gets full respect also.

Shalom,
Steven

f0dder:
Whether you use Adobe Reader or not, you have an attack vector if it's installed - it's not just Windows Explorer that opens you to the attack, but any file manager that uses the standard file property sheet stuff... which means basically any alternate file manager I've seen.

So you really do need to uninstall AR, and do it completely :)

Darwin:
Done! Thanks mouser for pointing this out as I would have been oblivious otherwise. There's a silver lining, too - I've discovered that PDF Converter Professional 5 is as quick opening up a pdf as the Adobe Reader (ie under a second) so I've got one less application installed  :Thmbsup:

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