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ITS Alert - Adobe Acrobat/Reader Vulnerability

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Adobe Acrobat/Reader Vulnerability

Last updated on February 19, 2008 at 5:14PM

Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader users should install Adobe's new 8.1.2 update immediately to protect themselves from potential software vulnerabilities, according to ITS Security Operations and Services (SOS).

The University has experienced a large number of incidents related to a type of PDF-based hostile code that has been circulating through the use of vulnerable (pre 8.1.2.) versions of Acrobat and Reader software. When users open the infected PDF file it downloads a variant of the "Zonebac" trojan horse, resulting in control of the individual's computer system. The code also attempts to render all antivirus applications inoperable.

Adobe has recently released Acrobat/Reader version 8.1.2 to combat the Zonebac trojan vulnerabilities in all previous Acrobat and Reader versions (8, 7.0.9, 7 and earlier). To learn how to obtain the 8.1.2 update, go to http://its.psu.edu/news/story-979.

For more information, please contact Heather Herzog (heh4@psu.edu).


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Impact Information

  • Incident Type:
    General Information
  • Locations affected:
    All locations
  • Start time:
    February 19, 2008 at 4:22PM
  • Estimated resolution time:
    ASAP