Are Programs Using Java Still a Security Risk?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Since Adobe Acrobat Standard XI will reach EOL on 10/15/2017 and I do not want to downgrade to Adobe's stupid subscription model, cloud based Acrobat 12, I've been looking for a PDF creation/editing program that has both Windows and Linux versions so I can learn to use it while still on Win 7 and later continue to use it when I switch to Linux in a couple of years or so. I have narrowed the choice down to Master PDF Editor and PDF Studio Pro. I just tried out Master PDF Editor and found it too limiting (the first deal breaker I encountered was that I could only insert PDF files when inserting pages—I often insert JPGs when using Acrobat—so I deleted the program after that) which leaves PDF Studio Pro.

However, it uses Java. PDF Studio Pro gets mostly good reviews but the Java thing concerns me a bit after all the hoopla over all the new security holes that kept turning up as fast as they could get patched. I haven't heard anything about Java having vulnerabilities in quite a while so I was wondering if would be safe to try out (and use if I like it) PDF Studio Pro?

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I believe most java issues are browser related.

 

[Callender]

If it's using it's own local version of Java it's not much of a risk:

See:
Java mysterious installations Solved - Windows 7 Help Forums

So in the linked screenshot the software uses it's own local version of Java that will not run in a browser or be available to other programs.

Also if using installed version of Java disable it in your browser(s)

How do I disable Java in my web browser?

How to turn off Java in your browser Naked Security

Related article on Minecraft introducing a local version of Java.

Minecraft Doesns Time to Uninstall Java

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Thanks, guys! I'm keeping this open for a while until I can download and install a trial version.

 

[Callender]

Maybe take a look at inkscape?

Windows | Inkscape

Inkscape multiple pages support download | SourceForge.net

It's possible to import documents, edit them, add images and export to PDF. It's also possible to import PDF's and add images.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Maybe take a look at inkscape?

Windows | Inkscape

Inkscape multiple pages support download | SourceForge.net

It's possible to import documents, edit them, add images and export to PDF. It's also possible to import PDF's and add images.

Thanks for the suggestion! I took a look at it and read some reviews and it seems to many steps would be needed to create an actual PDF (after creating the document, it has to be converted to PDF instead of working within the PDF itself). It also appears to still be in beta form. The reviews I saw for it were not as good as they were for Studio PDF (sometimes, you only get what you pay for).

I've download Studio PDF and, so far, using the trial version, it appears it will meet my needs (and then some) and is considerably less expensive than Acrobat, to boot! I haven't seen any sign of Java on my computer or in my browser so apparently it is contained wholly within Studio PDF. Since there is a bit of a learning curve involved (so far it has done everything I've tried to do that Acrobat can do but the work flow is different), I'll play with it some more over the next month or two before I decide whether or not to pull the trigger. I'm still open to suggestions, however.