• BlueRingedOctopus@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
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    15 hours ago

    You’re not executing a mkv or a pdf

    You’re half wrong and half right, .mkv files are completely safe but the same can’t be said about .pdf files, attackers can embed malicious code, such as JavaScript or hidden executables, within a PDF file.

    People really underestimate the capabilities of this .pdf file format. I remember some time ago, someone managed to run doom inside a .pdf file.

    • CameronDev@programming.dev
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      15 hours ago

      Theoretically, there could also be a MKV file that exploits a bug in the video player to get execution.

      Far less likely, but definitely possible.

      • BlueRingedOctopus@lemmy.dbzer0.comOP
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        14 hours ago

        There’s a difference between exploiting bugs that haven’t even been found and spreading malware through a method that’s known by pretty much everyone and is still used to spread malware today.

        It’s also theoretically possible that your system is already infected by some Advanced Persistent Threats but does that happen that often, No, and have people been infected by running random pdfs they found online, Yes.