Acrobat
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Chrome finally gets an Adobe Acrobat PDF editor
n a move that feels long overdue, Adobe is releasing Acrobat Chrome and Edge extensions that allow you to access its PDF tools directly through your browser.
Adobe adds new URL shortcuts to make signing PDFs easier
Starting today, you can use the Acrobat web to add a password to a PDF, split a single PDF into multiple files, as well as merge multiple PDFs into a single file.
Disney's acrobatic robot can backflip like a human
Humans have mastered acrobatics for centuries, but robots? They've barely learned how to jump, and Disney Research wants to fix that. It recently developed a human-scale robot, Stickman, that can perform aerial stunts with a grace closer to that of its fleshy counterparts. Much like a person, it tucks into a ball in mid-flight to perform backflips and other stunts. A combination of inertial motion sensing and a trio of laser rangefinders give the robot motion and height data that help it decide when to untuck and land safely.
Compromised Adobe account tally rises to include at least 38 million users
It seems that the initial report of 2.9 million compromised user accounts from Adobe's security breach earlier this month was a mere drop in the bucket. Krebs on Security reports that at least 38 million active users were were impacted by the incident and that the swiped source code included the Photoshop line of offerings in addition to Acrobat Reader and ColdFusion. If you'll recall, the breach nabbed encrypted credit card info as well as a then unknown number of user ID and log-in credentials alongside the aforementioned code. Adobe claims that all customers with a stolen ID have been contacted and that no "unauthorized activity" has been seen with any of the compromised log-ins. Of course, it will take some time to determine the full extent of the damage, but for now, the creative software giant's push to subscription-based releases is sure to take a bigger hit.
Adobe says attackers compromised 2.9 million accounts, stole source code
If you've recently bought an Adobe product, you'll want to keep an eye out for suspicious financial transactions in the near future. The company says that attackers have compromised 2.9 million customer accounts, including their (thankfully encrypted) credit and debit card numbers. Hackers also took source code for certain apps, including Acrobat and ColdFusion. The two attacks might be related, according to Adobe. While the firm doesn't believe that the culprits have any unencrypted banking info, it's not taking chances: it's resetting passwords for affected users, warning them of financial risks and offering free credit monitoring. The breach won't necessarily hurt customers in the long run, but it isn't going to help Adobe's attempts to move its user base to subscription services.
Adobe to end sale of boxed Creative Suite software
It's no surprise that Adobe plans to end sales of boxed sets of Creative Suite and Acrobat software. TechHive confirmed the move with Adobe after several resellers reported a cutoff date of May 1 for purchasing a boxed set of Adobe Creative Suite. With Adobe placing more focus on its Creative Cloud subscription service and more laptops losing their optical drives, the company is placing the dollars set aside for producing shrink-wrapped boxes of software elsewhere. And it makes sense. Only one boxed Adobe product, Acrobat, is in the top 10 of current best sellers at the online Apple store. Boxed versions of Photoshop Elements and Lightroom are among top sellers at Amazon.
Adobe turns 30 this week
The Life@Adobe blog reminds us that Adobe Systems turns 30 years old this week. Wow, that's gone by pretty fast. Founded in 1982 by John Warnock and Charles Geschke, the company started when the pair left Xerox PARC to develop the PostScript page description language. Apple was an early fan with its Laser Printer and LaserWriter. In 1985, desktop publishing took off. Later came Adobe Illustrator, and what would become the company's flagship product (and my favorite), Photoshop, which revolutionized image editing. I don't think a day goes by that I don't touch Photoshop, and I've been using it and upgrading since version 1.0 in 1990 when it was a Macintosh exclusive. In 1993, Adobe introduced PDF files and the Acrobat Reader, which is now up to version 11. It's another Adobe product that many people use daily. Like all big companies, Adobe has had its share of missteps. Most recently perhaps, the drama with Apple over Adobe Flash, which Apple chose to not support on iOS devices. After 30 years, Adobe continues to make a tremendous contribution to graphics, photography, printing and web design. It's hard to find a digital product or media tool that lacks some Adobe DNA. Another 30 years of success is a pretty sure thing.
Adobe announces Acrobat XI with tablet-friendly touchability, cloud services
Adobe has just updated its Acrobat lineup, including Pro, Standard and Reader to version 11 -- and thrown in two new programs, FormsCentral and EchoSign, to boot. The latter two are cloud-enabled services which permit "web contracting, forms creation, data collection and analysis" according to Adobe, which didn't yet specify exactly how that works. The company has also added improved tablet capability, and portable versions of Adobe Reader will now let you sign and save forms, as well as annotate and add comments. You'll also be able to modify paragraphs, images and objects by dragging them around; save PDFs as PowerPoint, Word or Excel files; and add extra security measures to documents. The upgrades will ship within 30 days and cost $449 and $299 for the Pro and Standard versions, respectively -- so if you've no time for frivolity on that new slate, check the PR for more info.
Adobe Mobile Reader 10.2 adds signature, form support
For years, you've been eager to dump that aging landline-tethered fax machine, but those occasional signature requirements have forced you to delay the disposal, time and time again. Well it might just finally be time to kick that beige beast to the curb. The latest version of Adobe Mobile Reader for Android and iOS effectively negates that need for scanning signatures, delivering that functionality through an in-app Ink Signature tool instead. You'll also want to take Note of the free-hand drawing option, text markup feature, sticky notes, EchoSign integration, intra-document link and form support, search tool and thumbnail navigation -- all available in Mobile Reader 10.2. There's also an update to the desktop app, Adobe Reader X (10.1.3), which includes the same Ink Signature Tool and EchoSign integration available in the mobile version. Click through to our source link for all the juicy deets.
Possible fix for font issues in 10.6.7
Late last month, a troubling font issue came to light after Apple rolled out version 10.6.7 of Mac OS X. The update appeared to cause problems with the printing and PDF handling of OpenType PostScript fonts. Apple has not officially acknowledged the problem, but a growing thread on Apple's discussion boards details the issues Mac users are experiencing. Good news for those affected by this font problem as forum member KJK555 claims to have a fix. KJK555 has released an installation package that replaces the affected 10.6.7 ATS.framework binaries with the previous 10.6.6 versions. The ATS.framework is involved in the font layout and management of Apple Type Services Before you jump for joy, the initial success rate of this fix is mixed. Some folks claim font issues in apps such as LiveType disappear, while others are still reporting problems with Adobe apps like Acrobat distiller. If you are plagued by this problem and don't want to wait for Apple to roll out an official update, this solution may be worth a try. As always, proceed at your own risk, as there is always the chance of a negative outcome when you start mucking around with system components, such as fonts and printing. If you do bravely forge ahead and apply the fix, give us a shout in the comments and let us know how it works for you. Thanks, Laurie!
Adobe finds another 'critical' flaw in Flash, Steve Jobs smiles smugly
Hey, guess what? Adobe has found yet another serious security flaw in Flash. We can already hear the iOS fanboys warming up their commenting fingers. The vulnerability affects all platforms, including Android, though only attacks on Windows have been seen in the wild so far. Just like last month's exploit, this one is spreading via malicious .swf files embedded in Office documents, only this time it's Word instead of Excel being targeted (a hacker's gotta keep it fresh, after all). Once again Reader and Acrobat are also vulnerable, but attacks can be thwarted using Reader's Protected Mode. When exactly Adobe plans on plugging this hole is anyone's guess, so when a deposed Nigerian prince tells you about the fabulous sum of money he'd like you to transfer, you'll have yet another reason not to open the Office attachments in his email.
10.6.7 update causes OpenType font issues
There's a thread on Apple's Discussions boards suggesting that Mac OS X 10.6.7 introduces issues with OpenType PostScript fonts when it comes to printing and PDF handling. Kurt Lang writes: "As soon as you install 10.6.7, OpenType PostScript fonts are indeed broken... [the issue] is confined to OT PS fonts. All PDF files, including those using OpenType PostScript fonts display correctly in Preview. With the Acrobat Reader, all PDF files display correctly except those using OT PS fonts. So no matter who gets PDF files created under 10.6.7 using OT PS fonts, they will not display correctly on the Mac or in Windows..." Oops. Lang goes on to note that everything was working perfectly under Mac OS X 10.6.6. Also, he has not changed his installations of Adobe Reader or Preview. Only the OS is different. Since everything works fine in Preview and is only troublesome in Reader, you might be inclined to point the finger towards Adobe. However, we agree with Lang that it isn't solely Adobe's responsibility to ensure compatibility with minor OS updates -- if something's changed in the OS's type handling without Apple announcing it, there's not much Adobe could do in advance. Update: Adam Engst at TidBITS dives into the issue and reports that the impacts are wider than we knew. As far as we know, Apple is not yet working on the issue. If you've experienced this trouble, let us know. Hopefully a fix will be issued soon. Thanks, Laurie.
Adobe patches Flash flaw with Acrobat / Reader update
Armageddon averted. Exactly as promised, Adobe has rolled out a fix this week for the zero-day security vulnerability in Flash that had us sweating the world was about to come crashing to an end. It's a somewhat circuitous route to getting your system patched up, however, as you'll need to download an out-of-cycle update for Acrobat and Reader -- the other software affected by this issue. Still, a small price to pay for protecting yourself from the evils of the internets. [Thanks, Paul]
Google patches Flash vulnerability in Chrome, leaves other browsers hanging
Remember that massive security vulnerability that Adobe identified in its Flash Player, Acrobat and Reader software? Well, shockingly enough, it hasn't yet taken over the internet and ground productivity to a halt, but Google's been proactive about it and patched the flaw by itself. Of course, the fix applies only to its own Chrome web browser, Firefoxes and Internet Explorer types will have to wait for Adobe's fix, which is expected any minute now. Still, it's good to know someone's looking out for the security of our data, even if that someone already has access to most of it anyway.
Adobe finds 'critical' security hole in Flash Player, won't fix it before next week
Oh, here we go again. Adobe's kicked out a security bulletin for users of its Flash Player on "all platforms" -- that'll be the entire population of the internet, then -- warning them that a new critical vulnerability has been discovered that may cause crashes and potentially permit the hijacking of systems. The issue also affects the company's Reader and Acrobat software products. Even better news is that Adobe has found it's being actively exploited "in the wild" via a .swf file embedded in an Excel spreadsheet, but a fix won't be forthcoming until the beginning of next week. So, erm, enjoy your full web experience until then!
Adobe promises fix for Flash vulnerability by tomorrow, Reader and Acrobat fix on June 29th
Well, it looks like Adobe isn't wasting much time in fixing that "critical" Flash vulnerability that could allow remote hijacking of a user's computer, but it's a slightly different story when it comes to patching Adobe Acrobat and Reader. According to Adobe, the Flash fix will be rolled out by tomorrow at the latest, but it says the fix for Reader and Acrobat won't be available until June 29th. Somewhat curiously, Adobe says it had considered rushing out a "one-off 0-day" fix for Reader and Acrobat as soon as possible, but says that would have caused too much "churn and patch management overhead on our users" considering there's already a regular quarterly update scheduled for July 13th. So, instead, Adobe has decided to push that update up to June 29th and simply include the fix for the vulnerability with it. In the meantime? Stay frosty, we guess.
Adobe's Flash and Acrobat have 'critical' vulnerability, may allow remote hijacking
When Adobe said Flash gives you the full web experience, it meant it. Part and parcel of the web, as we all know, is the good old hacking community, which has been "actively exploiting" a vulnerability in Flash Player 10.0.45.2 (and earlier versions) and Adobe Acrobat and Reader 9.x to overtake people's machines and do hacky stuff with them. This so-called flaw also causes crashes, but that's probably not what's worrying you right now. Adobe says the 10.1 Release Candidate for Flash Player looks to be unaffected, while versions 8.x of Acrobat and Reader are confirmed safe. To remedy the trouble, the company advises moving to the RC for Flash, and deleting authplay.dll to keep your Acrobat from performing undesirable gymnastics. Oh boy, Steve's gonna have a field day with this one.
Acrobat, Adobe Reader & Flash updated for critical security fixes
In response to two critical vulnerabilities in Acrobat and Adobe Reader 9.3, yesterday Adobe released the 9.3.1 update for both applications; users of the older 8.x versions can update to 8.2.1 to resolve the security issues. One of the two vulnerabilities addressed would allow a malicious PDF to make unauthorized cross-domain requests; the other could crash the PDF application and possibly allow an attacker to gain access to other parts of the system. The first flaw is related to a Flash Player issue that was revealed last week; if you have not updated Flash to the latest version (10.0.45.2 as of this moment, see your version & current versions here) & you aren't blocking Flash, you should go get the latest build right away. Although you can configure auto-update notifications in Flash Player, it's not clear if Mac OS X clients are consistently getting these reminders to update. Even though Mac users are far less likely to be targeted by malware than our Windows-using friends and family, vigilance is still critical. Security analysis firm ScanSafe reported that it saw the percentage of exploits delivered via PDF files rise from 56% at the beginning of 2009 all the way up to 80% in the 4th quarter, so keeping those Adobe apps current -- or, better yet, using Apple's Preview app as the default PDF reader on Mac OS X -- is only prudent.
Acrobat.com Mobile now available on the iPhone; free, but expensive
Adobe's Acrobat.com website is not only an online collaboration center, but also provides a way to convert files to PDF, meet live over the web, or store and share files. Now some of that Acrobat.com goodness has found its way into your iPhone. Adobe has released Acrobat.com Mobile by scanR [Free, iTunes Link], which works with an existing Acrobat.com account to give users a way to share and view documents. Users can also fax documents from the app, and iPhone 3GS owners can take photos of documents for addition to their Acrobat.com account. While the app is free, Acrobat.com Mobile users should be aware that using the app comes with a price tag. While you can scan up to 5 pages or fax 2 pages for free, all additional scanning or faxes must be purchased separately through in-app purchase. Many early reviews are stating that the app is rather slow and can be expensive once you begin creating or faxing your PDFs, so potential buyers should be aware of those facts. In addition, the app does not support the Web conferencing or online office applications that make the full Acrobat.com so useful to groups. Acrobat.com appears to be a fair first step towards integrating the iPhone and Acrobat's namesake service, but much more needs to be done before this app reaches its potential. [via The Mac Observer]
Acrobat & Adobe Reader updated to patch security holes
Earlier this week, Adobe updated both Acrobat and Reader to versions 8.2 and 9.3. These updates offer major security features and are recommended for all users. In a security bulletin released on Tuesday, Adobe cites "critical vulnerabilities" that could crash your apps or "...potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system." Definitely something you'll want to avoid. They recommend that anyone using version 9.2 and earlier update to Adobe Reader 9.3 and Acrobat 9.3 right away. Likewise, those using Acrobat 8.1.7 should update to version 8.2. You can get all of the details and downloads from Adobe here. Get patching, folks. You'll want these older versions off of your Macs. As usual, we ask that you let us know if anything goes wonky after updating. [Via PC Magazine]
