According to the report, PDF files are even more dangerous than .EXE because it is much easier to hide malicious content in PDF files and enjoy a certain popularity and relative reliability.
Malicious PDF files now outperform media files, help files, HTMLs, and executables in distributing malicious attachments used in targeted attacks.
However, it should be noted that office file formats are still a popular and effective option used in some targeted attacks. In 2009, approximately 52.6% of targeted attacks use PDF exploits, compared to 65.0% in 2010, an increase of 12.4%. If the trend continued at the same pace as it has over the past year, by mid-2011, 76% of targeted malware could be used for PDF-based attacks.
As a summary, the report notes that PDF-based targeted attacks are here to stay, and are predicted to worsen as malware authors continue to innovate in delivering, building, and obfuscating the techniques needed for this type of malware.
As always, the most effective means of protection is to be aware of the risks and exercise caution when dealing with any content attached to an email message.
Source: Blog Antivirus
