WARNING: F-Secure Says Stop Using Acrobat Reader

[Vin DSL]

SOURCE: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Adobe-Ac...news-3828.html (Tom's Guide Web Site)

F-Secure's chief research officer Mikko Hypponen told the press on Tuesday that consumers should not use Adobe's Acrobat Reader, but rather switch to an alternate application to read PDF files...

(A)ccording to Hypponen, 47-percent of the targeted attacks in 2009 have exploited holes in the program; six vulnerabilities have been discovered in Reader so far (SA29773) this year...

Hypponen went on to warn that Adobe Reader is the new Internet Explorer (6), referring to a time when security experts told consumers to switch to another browser due to huge security holes in Microsoft's browser. By getting rid of Reader, he said that consumers will reduce their risk of acquiring malicious code and infecting the PC. "That's my advice," Hypponen said. "I don't expect a Christmas card from Adobe."

Alternative Readers: http://pdfreaders.org/ (The Free Software Foundation Europe Web Site)

[Vin DSL]

WoW!

I decided to wipe Acrobat Reader, AIR, and Adobe.com off this machine.

Since I use Okulur Reader in Linux, I decided to download the Windows version...

LoL!

First of all, it installs KDE (I choose 4.2.2 stable) in Windows - didn't even know KDE for Windows existed. Then, I installed the Graphics Package, which includes Okulur. Finally, I went into Windows Explorer, right-clicked on a .PDF file, told Explorer to open it with Okular, and clicked the box to associate .PDF files with Okular from now on.

All I have to do to view a .PDF file is click it, and it opens in Okulur - and Okulur opens MUCH faster than Acrobat Reader! Plus, it looks better.

Heh!

Don't you love computers? Never a dull moment...

Now I'm wondering which other Linux programs I might like to install on this Windows machine...

[JonathanB]

We've got the latest Adobe Acrobat at work, and it is the biggest piece of bloatware every conceived. The Reader isn't much better. I've read that all the exploits come from all the additional things (like JavaScript capabilities) that Adobe has added to the reader.

I've been quite happy with FoxIt Reader at home.

[rashad]

Seriously for a Personal Use standpoint there is NO reason why one shouldn't SWITCH to FOXIT!!!

It also offers free - though in evaluation mode - editing capabilities, and is like 1/20 th the size on the disk. Adobe is really useless!!!!

[homoludens]

Now I'm wondering which other Linux programs I might like to install on this Windows machine...

Bash?

Have you used powershell yet, by the way?

[Vin DSL]

Bash?

Have you used powershell yet, by the way?

Bwahahaha! BASH... another double entendre. Good one!

And, yes, I prefer powershell, but most of my Windows machines are W2K. I use powershell on Vista/7 though. I've never got into the shell scripting part of it though, which is the whole reason for using powershell - being the functional equivalent of BASH.

Hrm... just thinking. I wonder if you can jail powershell?!?!? Otherwise, it might be kinda dangerous (or handy), no?

BTW, I found a bug in 'KDE for Windows' while using Okular...

If you open a .PDF file that uses TTF fonts, but the fonts weren't included in the .PDF file, 'KDE for Windows' can't find the user/local font directory. Example:

C:\Program Files\KDE\bin>fc-cat
Fontconfig error: Cannot load default config file
C:/Program Files/KDE/bin/WINDOWSFONTDIR: No such file or directory

C:\Program Files\KDE\bin>

Looks like they used a path variable (probably envget) which isn't working, and it's parsing back with a Linux-style location (forward slashes).

I can't patch the bug because the path has been hard-coded into 'KDE for Windows' (&^%! DLL files), sooo...

It's not nice to fool Mother Nature!

[Vin DSL]

Er...

I didn't want to imply that 'KDE for Windows' and/or Okular doesn't work - it just has a bug.

Maybe I'll go over to the project, register, report it, and have 'them' fix it. I can point 'em to the problem.

Sooo many projects, sooo little time...

Here's a pic of it in action:

[Vin DSL]

Oops! I just found some typos (grammatical and spelling errors) in that paper...

Thanks, Homo!

[Ron]

I wonder what the paper says about card checks...

[Vin DSL]

I wonder what the paper says about card checks...

It should be just as easy as registering to vote, join a church, get a driver's license, or whatever.

And, it will be...

The fact of the matter is, there is NO fair way to vote!

[Ron]

yah, OK. Sure. Whatever.

It may not be "fair" by some standard, but at least in a secret vote someone gets to vote their conscience without fear of personal retribution or embarrassment.

People give blood when they know they shouldn't/can't because they are peer pressured to participate in the blood drive, then they have the Red Cross throw the blood out because they are honest and can do so without fear of discovery.

THAT is the reality of human behavior, and any "theory" to the contrary is just pure hogwash.

[Vin DSL]

The reality of the situation is...

Are you better off handling the tyranny of the workplace (with a bucket of water and a washcloth) or depending on someone like me (who is more than happy to let you hold my hat, while I kick their ass)?

A new day is coming, my man - get used to it!

[Frank Broughton]

Unions..... just like mafia.

[homoludens]

I've never got into the shell scripting part of it though, which is the whole reason for using powershell - being the functional equivalent of BASH.

To me it seemed like MS, in trying to play catch-up, had stuffed it with too much stuff. I greatly prefer the way bash treats input and output as simple text, not objects, for example.

Oops! I just found some typos (grammatical and spelling errors) in that paper ...

The problem with the theorem is that, whilst those criteria are fairly reasonable, they are not an exhaustive. No attempt has been made to define the domain of the theorem or to see whether it has been accurately framed.

Irrespective of whether some aspect of his theroem can be formally proved, it is pretty clear that a 2 party system represents just about no-one's choice, and cannot constitute a democracy. Let that be added to the set of criteria and allow me to offer a simple reductio ad absurdum ...

Unions..... just like mafia.

No. But it sure sounds good when you're trying to blame life's failings on the left, eh? Remember this Frank, god gave us Unions. And if it weren't for Unions, you'ld probably be working in a toilet factory for 10 cents a day, with Ron, Greg, TA, et alia, to keep you company.

[Connie]

And if it weren't for Unions, you'ld probably be working in a toilet factory for 10 cents a day, with Ron, Greg, TA, et alia, to keep you company.

At least they would be working!