[ale] Adobe stuff, security problems, alternatives

Tue Feb 26 23:53:51 EST 2013

On 02/26/2013 11:15 PM, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:
> Hi Jim, and others,
>
> Thanks for the replies.  I updated my flash in the Mint 13 vm to use 
> the Adobe version rather than the Mint version since it was much newer.
>
> For the Windows machines, I've already turned Javascript off via the 
> ui on Adobe reader and cranked up the other security settings.  I 
> don't know if that would have prevented the latest vulnerabilities if 
> I'd gotten a bad pdf file.  If I use Adobe reader in Linux, I'll take 
> similar precautions.  The problem is that the latest Adobe reader in 
> the Mint 13 repositories is 9.5.1 whereas the latest version on the 
> Windows side is 10.1.6 or 11.0.02.
>
> I'm going to be looking into alternatives for this on both Linux and 
> Windows.
>
> I'm not sure if I'm ready to run EVERYTHING in a vm, but it's 
> something to consider.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ron
A pretty pdf reader for Linux is Okular and it is the repositories

Jay
>
>
> On 2/26/2013 4:48 PM, Jim Kinney wrote:
>> Try all the open-source PDF viewers. Some will work on 
>> multi-platform. Fill-in forms seem to be Adobe only unless someone 
>> actually selects a not-default check box when building the form.
>>
>> Flash: there is gnash but it's not as capable as Adobe Flash. Use the 
>> Adobe version from their website if gnash is not enough. Or skip 
>> flash altogether and do "other things".
>>
>> I think Adobe reader allows a preferences file that includes no 
>> javascript, etc. You'll need to launch the application manually and 
>> poke the settings.
>>
>> Overall, general security works better using minimal linux on system 
>> bare iron. Run a vm for both linux and windoes desktops (for the 
>> totally paranoid). Take snapshots once setup and pristine clean. get 
>> a bug, blow away the image and replay a snapshot. downtime = 10 minutes.
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 4:37 PM, Ron Frazier (ALE) 
>> <atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com 
>> <mailto:atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com>> wrote:
>>
>>     Hi all,
>>
>>     I'm trying to get a handle on my Adobe stuff and want to avoid
>>     security problems as much as possible.  I have some questions.
>>
>>     Re: Adobe Reader.  I'm considering just replacing it due to the
>>     security problems.  I need something cross platform so I can run
>>     in Windows or Linux.  I need something that's stable and
>>     powerful.  It needs to be able to properly display complex PDF's
>>     like those 20 MB PDF's of topographic maps that I was mentioning
>>     in my thread on barometric altimeters.  These particular PDF's
>>     have several layers of the map, which can be turned on and off.
>>
>>     For example:
>>
>>     http://ims.er.usgs.gov/gda_services/download?item_id=5247561&quad=Abbeville%20North&state=GA&grid=7.5X7.5&series=TNM%20GeoPDF
>>
>>     My replacement program has to also be able to display print more
>>     conventional complex PDF's properly, such as those with hundreds
>>     of pages with lots of fonts and graphics and images, like a PDF
>>     of a magazine.
>>
>>     For example:
>>
>>     http://www.computerpoweruser.com/DigitalIssues/ComputerPowerUser/CP____1303__/offline/download.pdf
>>
>>     I don't want my PDF reader running any JavaScript or Java or
>>     multimedia.  I just want it to read documents.  What is the best
>>     cross platform alternative to Adobe Reader?
>>
>>     Re: Adobe Flash.  I don't think there is any good alternative to
>>     Flash, and lots of websites need it.  On my Mint 13 VM, it has
>>     the Mint Flash Plugin 11.0.1.152.  However, the Adobe plugin in
>>     the repository is at version 11.2.202.270.  So, should I upgrade
>>     to the Adobe version and uninstall the Mint version?
>>
>>     Any help is greatly appreciated.
>>
>>     Sincerely,
>>
>>     Ron
>>
>>
>>     -- 
>>
>>     (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might
>>     want to
>>     call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate
>>     energy
>>     mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new email messages
>>     very quickly.)
>>
>>     Ron Frazier
>>     770-205-9422 <tel:770-205-9422> (O)   Leave a message.
>>     linuxdude AT techstarship.com <http://techstarship.com>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> -- 
>> James P. Kinney III
>> ////
>> ////Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What 
>> you gain at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on 
>> his own tail. It won't fatten the dog.
>> - Speech 11/23/1900 Mark Twain
>> ////
>> http://electjimkinney.org
>> http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/
>> ////
>>
>>
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>>    
>
> -- 
>
> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
> call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
> mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new email messages very quickly.)
>
> Ron Frazier
> 770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
> linuxdude AT techstarship.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
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> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo


-- 
Jay Lozier
jslozier at gmail.com

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