[Retired Tech]

Security vendors have warned email users to be as vigilant about PDF attachments as they would for other documents, after seeing a sharp rise in spam embedded within PDF documents.

Email security vendor Messagelabs reports that PDFs made up 20 percent of image-based spam messages in July, up 10 percent on the month prior. Image-based spam makes up around 22 percent of total spam, the company said.

The security company believes attackers are using the PDF format because it more easily bypasses antivirus and anti-spam filters, and that users tend to trust the authenticity of a PDF over other types of documents, even if they don't recognise the sender.

http://uk.news.yahoo...sk-20a87fa.html

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Thanks Keith I just wanted to point this part out....

On most PDF spam captured so far, the malware doesn't sit within the PDF and can't be executed merely by opening the PDF. Instead, web links within the document point to compromised websites. A victim would have to not only open the PDF, but also click a link within it to risk infection.

Please remind everyone to not click links in SPAM. I know EVERYONE who visits Geeks to Go knows this and is good about it....

Remind friends, family and co-workers.

[bobmad]

Thanks Keith I just wanted to point this part out....

On most PDF spam captured so far, the malware doesn't sit within the PDF and can't be executed merely by opening the PDF. Instead, web links within the document point to compromised websites. A victim would have to not only open the PDF, but also click a link within it to risk infection.

Please remind everyone to not click links in SPAM. I know EVERYONE who visits Geeks to Go knows this and is good about it....

Remind friends, family and co-workers.