I got an unexpected invoice attachment on my laptop today and am terrified to click it. Can just opening a PDF document actually infect your computer with malware, or is that a myth?
Had the same thing last month with a fake invoice attachment. tbh yes a pdf can infect your computer when you open it, not just paranoia. unexpected ones are sketchy so i delete them right away. i sell pdf planners myself and only open stuff from people i know.
I’ve had that with supplier invoices, and I don’t open unexpected ones until I’ve checked with the sender another way. A PDF can exploit an unpatched reader, so keep your system and PDF app updated and scan it first; if it looks suspicious, delete it.
Yes, a malicious PDF can exploit a vulnerable reader, though updated software makes that less likely. For an unexpected invoice, verify it with the sender through a known phone number, then scan the file locally with updated antivirus. Avoid uploading invoices to public scanners since they may contain personal information.