Opening pdf as read only

Can i still get hacked through pdf attachments if i make them read-only before opening them? I am not in cybersecurity but someone told me this way i would be safer?

I would say yes, if the pdf contains malicious code that could be loaded by the reader making the pdf file read only doesn’t do anything.

2 Likes

Not necessarily, if the PDF is printed as multiple images.

1 Like

The OP asked if making a pdf file read only would make it more secure to open. Regardless of the pdf content I don’t see how changing the file attribute could be beneficial, it just make impossible to modify the file itself.

2 Likes

If you’re worried about this, your best bet is probably Dangerzone. It basically opens the file in a sandbox, takes a picture of each page (which leaves you without any hidden code or malicious links), and then converts that to PDF, leaving you with a document that is pretty much guaranteed safe.

2 Likes