Firefox getting built-in HTML5-based PDF viewer to improve security

Discussion in 'other security issues & news' started by ronjor, Jan 11, 2013.

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  1. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    https://www.infoworld.com/d/applica...tml5-based-pdf-viewer-improve-security-210687
     
  2. Mman79

    Mman79 Registered Member

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    Of course it won't be free of them, nothing ever is. Still though, I have to hand it to them for taking the step and thinking about user security rather than pushing another pet feature like more social stuff. I'll hop on the Beta channel and see how it goes.
     
  3. chrisretusn

    chrisretusn Registered Member

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    I'm currently using the PDF Viewer 0.7.55 extension. I does not have a the functionality of PDF reader, forms for example, but for viewing PDF's in-line or in a window it works quite well.

    I would prefer not to have this as a built-in feature to Firefox. I wish they would keep it as an extension. I do hope they at least provide a method to on-the-fly, turn it off or on.
     
  4. vasa1

    vasa1 Registered Member

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    I don't if this will help, but there's an option in about:config (in Fx 19 and it was in Fx 18 as well,IIRC):
    Code:
    pdfjs.disabled;false
     
  5. chrisretusn

    chrisretusn Registered Member

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    Thanks. Right now I can simply disable or enable the extension. I bit easier than going to about:config to make changes. Interestingly enough pdfjs.disabled is set to true (default) in my Firefox, mostly likely because I am not using the internal version, which I believe has been there since 15 or 16.

    I see there are a few other options available too.

    pdfjs.firstRun;true
    pdfjs.previousHandler.preferredAction;0
    pdfjs.previousHandler.preferredAction;0
     
  6. Notok

    Notok Registered Member

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    Definitely cool, but I wonder how much it will really help things in the end.

    I went ahead and enabled it, and saw some problems with the layout of some PDFs. I prefer Chrome's viewer, but will probably keep it enabled in FF as well. Hopefully they'll improve it soon.
     
  7. MikeBCda

    MikeBCda Registered Member

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    Nearly anything in PDF format that gets my attention will usually be something I want to save for future reference (e.g., local bus schedules). So I've PDF viewer(s) disabled within my browser. set Firefox to always download and save PDF files, and open them when necessary with PDF-XChange.

    PDFs for whatever reason (formatting codes?) tend to be quite large relative to their content, so I don't particularly want to wait for them online even aside from the security issues. My most egregious example, getting back to bus schedules, is a short shuttle route that runs to a industrial park, one trip a day each way on weekdays, but the file is a little shy of 2 MB.
     
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