PDF and Flash viruses have been around for several years at this point but many still think that PDF and SWF files are safe to open. Personally, I virus scan everything that is sent to me but I’m a geek and very protective of my pc, it’s data, and the time I’d lose cleaning up after a virus. I mean, really, I have a two year old and I think a virus takes longer to clean up after!

So far it seems that the PDF viruses require the full version of the Adobe Acrobat software to infect the user and/or spread which is a relief for the average internet user. However, creating PDFs is no longer just a “business need” and there are tons of what used to be considered average users out there running the full blown developer version of Adobe. You can find more information at F-Secure’s Virus Descriptions of the PDF Worm but, unfortunately, even that page doesn’t say much more than what I already told you and the information is specific to the PDF Worm, not PDF viruses in general.

As for the Shockwave Flash Movies, the SWF files you view online are still safe. It’s the ones you download or receive in email and save to your hard drive that are the nasties here. Once you run them, they infect other SWF files while you sit and look at a window telling you the movie is loading. Nice! More information can be found at F-Secure’s Virus Descriptions of SWF.LFM.926 but again, the information is specific to that one virus and not SWF viruses in general.

As I’ve said before, keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware software up to date. And, always scan first, open second! Or, to quote the old X-Files TV show … Trust No One!