Attacks Using PDF Exploits on the Rise
When hackers look assemble their tools to carry out attacks, they often look to exploit commonly used platforms in an effort to increase the number of potential targets. This is why more hackers write viruses for PCs instead of Macs, since the majority of the world’s computer users utilize PCs. The same holds true for Adobe and Flash exploits, cyber criminals write viruses that exploit PDF vulnerabilities because the majority of attached “official” communication is through PDF format.
According to security researchers with F-Secure, there is another new PDF exploit making the rounds presently. The sample the researchers found was an email sent to a European financial institution which referenced the G20 and contained a corrupted PDF attachment.
The researchers also say that they have seen a significant rise in the number of PDF exploits over the years. In the first two months of 2010, they have already seen close to 900 exploits, which will double last year’s rate if the trend continues.
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