Adobe Reader 8.1.2 update now available

That Adobe Reader "update" convinced me that this utility I use as a simple pdf file reader has bloated way out of control:

1) It was a 30+ MB download that took longer that most programs to install, and required a reboot.
2) It attempted to install by default the Google Toolbar (ok, I hate toolbars, but even so...)
3) It attempted to load reader_sl.exe (Adobe Acrobat SpeedLauncher) into my startup.
4) Generated more HIPS alerts than any other program since I installed Comodo

Then I found this:

"Adobe has released a software fix for what's described simply as "security vulnerabilities" in its ubiquitous Adobe Reader program, but has not issued public documentation on the risk severity.
The absence of a bulletin with details and severity ratings has raised eyebrows in the security research community."
http://fergdawg.blogspot.com/2008/02/adobe-ships-silent-fix-for-critical-pdf.html

So I checked out  Foxit Reader 2.2:
- a 2 MB download.
- No Secunia advisories since the reader was launched in 2004 (vs 10 for Adobe Reader)
- Shortest EULA I can recall reading
- Quickly and easily installed for me
- It meets my needs: safe, small, and simple

interesting.

while i have reader 8.x on one of my XP systems [which I updated to the lastest version], i'm still running 7.x on my other XP system... I wonder now if that's why:   it's "only" about a 20 MB download :smileywink:

and on my ME system, i have 6.x [the last ME-compatible version]

i have the google toobar [i think my wife likes it] as well as yahoo's... i don't consider either one really problematic.... although I fully agree it should never be "silently" installed (by default).

WinPatrol takes care of the reader_sl startup.

Given the common usage of Adobe, I wonder if Comodo has any reaction to what HIPS is finding there???

lastly, I don't mean this as a "knock" at foxit:   but i have to wonder if it's "lack" of popularity (relative to adobe) is part of the reason why it hasn't been attacked over the years...????

BB,

I was not "playing games" with my response.   Taking Joe's reply at face value, that Foxit was a [secure and] viable  replacement  to Reader, at 1/15th the size, I felt he offered a novel solution to the Reader "bloat" [and security needs] problem, and was "rewarding" him on that basis.

I myself have never used foxit, so i was unaware of your concerns.

the fact that foxit [apparently] doesn't offer  additional  "Adobe proprietary file formats such as Illustrator, PhotoShop, etc. " doesn't really upset me, since I'm taking for granted the average user is interested mainly (exclusively???) in the ability to read .pdf files.

but if you're saying there are in fact incompatibilities in terms of reading .pdf files, then yes, I would fully agree with you that his "solution" would not be satisfactory on that basis.

in any event, I think this thread provided a good learning experience for the readers [myself included].

Points well-made.  

I have removed the "verified solution", lest someone misinterpret it as implying the need to uninstall adobe.

I certainly did not wish to imply Adobe Reader was a major security risk, or that folks should uninstall it if they needed it.

But with this latest update, the irritation factor finally prompted me to search for an alternative that met my simple need for a pdf file reader that did not pose any known security risks. This involved some research at Secunia's website, and at other security forums.

I finally found the recommendation for Foxit over at aumha forums by PA Bear, and probably should have included that link, which touched on the need for Adobe for other purposes.

I haven't found any problems so far with Foxit as far as reading/saving pdf's goes on my XP. I posted for informational purposes only, since I don't believe it has been mentioned here before.

I think ky331 is correct in that low usage programs are not major targets for hackers (recalling the claims made for Firefox when it was first released, but little used), and Foxit might well not be inherently safer.  Time will tell.

As far as "Verified Solution" goes, I'm sorry to hear they still offer that option on this V/S board (or anywhere else, for that matter).

in the message marked as the accepted solution:

click on OPTIONS,

the UNMARK AS ACCEPTED SOLUTION

and CONFIRM the action when questioned.

Does 8.1 have to be uninstalled before downloading 8.1.2? I tried and I think that is the response I got. I thought when I upgreaded to 2.1 it took care of deleting the older version I had?

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it!!