Epub Malware

[Haziel Barbour]

Im having an issue with an Indesign file that I am saving in an epub format. I created this file with Adobe fonts and stock and have a disk scan with no issues. It is not until I save it as an epub format that I have a problem. When I attach the file to various email accounts, they all come back as "undeliverable due to malware detected." Has anybody else had this problem?

Have you tried sending the EPUB from another email account, preferably on a different provider? It's not unusual for one mail system (especially one on a shared domain/server) to get flagged for spam or malware and it might be that more than the specific file.

Hi, if I download both PDF and ePub files from the Internet and onto my iPad, and I'm not too sure how reputable the sources are, will they infect it? Do such files usually have malware and viruses on them? If they do, will they wreck my iPad?

I'm not aware of any viruses or malware for iOS devices (unless you've jailbroken your iPad), so for your iPad you should be ok. But if you then connect your iPad to your computer and copy them over to it then you should have some sort of security software on your computer.

As more and more people lean towards reading in a digital format, here are a few things to keep in mind when reading ebooks. Never download pirated ebooks and always buy books and digital content from legitimate retailers. Some ebooks may contain malicious software that can install malware, spyware, and viruses in your computer.

There are millions of ebooks you can download for free for your ebook reader, many of which are classics from the public domain: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Dracula by Bram Stoker, Shakespeare's works and many others. Great sites to get these classics include Gutenberg.org or Archive.org.

Some newer works are available for free, too, either from independent authors looking for publicity or known authors who agree to offer some of their older works temporarily free to help promote newer books.

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PDF files are not easily editable compared to rich text files like Microsoft Word's DOCX or Apple's PAGES files. Since you cannot just open a PDF and edit it as you please (even if you have special and often pricey software), PDFs are used for contracts, bank statements, and any other important documents that need to be signed and sent.

PDFs can have viruses that come embedded with a code that makes documents signable and (somewhat) editable. The mechanics are very similar to virus-infected Microsoft Word files. While their malware hides inside macros scripts, an infected PDF file will contain malicious JavaScript code.

This is why a PDF virus cannot infect most older e-readers and modern e-paper and e-ink books. Dedicated e-reader devices run an extremely abridged version of Linux OS or a custom OS under the hood, so are unable to interpret and run malicious scripts.

Unfortunately, Android-based e-readers with regular touchscreens (devices like Amazon's Kindle Fire) are potentially vulnerable. iOS devices should be safe from viruses in PDF files due to app memory sandboxing. However, many viruses are emerging for iOS, too, so it's worth being cautious.

PC and Mac machines are the most vulnerable to threats hidden in ebooks. This is because the software for opening and editing PDF files on desktop and laptop computers can interpret and run the malicious code injected by a hacker.

An approach very similar to regular phishing. As a rule, such emails are executed better than generic phishing emails and target specific recipients. The content of the email won't have suspicious links. Still, it will contain either PDF files with viruses in the scripts, download links to malware files, or have a trojan virus disguised as a PDF in the attachment (something like document.pdf.exe).

Trojan fake PDF files and malicious scripts can sneak into any PDF that you try to download. IPirate sites do try to provide their readers with quality content to keep them returning to watch or click the ads. However, it's impossible to keep track of billions of books, documents, magazines, etc.

So, it looks like free online libraries are not just tempting sources of freebies, but decent malware repositories, too. Luckily, there are places where you can download books legally and sometimes even for free.

Ultimately, the safest way to obtain and read ebooks is to do it via an official distributor. Especially so when your target device is a dedicated e-paper or e-ink device reader and not a fully-functional smart tablet in disguise (Kindle Fire, we're looking at you). This way, you also won't have to worry about the format of the book you're about to download.

Are ebook formats other than PDF as likely to contain viruses? Well, it's much harder, but still possible to sneak a virus into a MOBI or AZW file for Kindle. An infected EPUB (preferred ebook format for iPhones and iPads) can also be a real thing because EPUB files are essentially special archive files containing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript scripts.

But as said before, malicious code needs interpreters. So digital e-ink/e-paper e-readers are most likely to be safe even with an infected ebook on board. However, if such files are opened on your computer, there might be consequences.

As you've learned, even seemingly harmless PDF or EPUB files can infect your computer. So if you really need a book, but it cannot be bought through a reliable online vendor, before you download from some shady website, try to:

Use these precautions, and don't download suspicious PDF files from non-trustworthy websites if you can avoid them. It's better to pay for a book than for repairs to your machine if it gets infected. Happy reading!

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Our free Virus Scanner was designed to help you avoid infection and identify malware from your documents and photos. Drag and drop the chosen file in the Virus Scanner toolbar, and it will automatically scan the file for any viruses or malware.

Drag and drop the PDF into the toolbar like you would with any other file. With Internxt Virus Scanner, you can scan any document, image, PDF, or other file type. Make sure your files are safe and free from viruses before you open them with Internxt's Virus Scanner.

The Kindle is easily among the lesser attractive targets when it comes to hacking. However, it could still be worthwhile to ensure the highest levels of security to the device considering that it contains such information as your Amazon account details as well as billing info, and in the wrong hands, these could lead to disastrous consequences.

Fortunately, anything of that sort has been averted, or so it seems. A flaw of this magnitude did exist in present-day Kindle eReader devices that have been detected by the Israeli security firm, Check Point Research. It revealed its findings at the hacker and cybersecurity convention, DEF CON. Amazon responded with a patch via Kindle firmware update 5.13.5 that plugged the hole. So, anyone who might not have connected their Kindle to the internet in a while has a strong reason to do so now.

The damage is done in the few seconds that the device needs to process the eBook before displaying it on the screen. A code will be running in the background that would make the Kindle be remotely operable by the hackers. Your Kindle could also be used as a launchpad for attacking other devices in the local network.

Does downloading eBooks from the Kindle Store could have posed a risk? Less likely but no way it can be guaranteed. After all, there is no dearth of self-published authors uploading their content on the Kindle Store regularly. Plus, we often tend to side-load eBooks which too could have been another source of malware-infested eBooks making their way to the Kindle.

With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.

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