Warning: Don’t use “free” software you find on the internet!

In common with many businesses and institutions, the University of Reading does not allow people to install unapproved software on to University devices themselves. This might make something you can use for “free” appealing, but there are many dangers in using this approach.

  1. Cyber Security risks: software can be used to transport malware, viruses, and spyware to your computer without you noticing, or it may let hackers in to our network.
  2. Privacy concerns: you don’t know where your data is, or who has access. You may be responsible for an inadvertent data leak, or tricked into sharing something you shouldn’t.
  3. Unauthorised = unsupported: if you are relying on a freebie there is a danger that it will break, disappear, or corrupt your computer.

In this article, we look at what’s at the top of the list of “unapproved” applications being used at the University: PDF file converters. 

Free PDF converters are not all they seem

There are two types of free PDF file converters – online ones and those you could download and install on your PC.  Both have the potential to introduce malware onto your device or are likely to steal information from you.  Any PDF file converter will require you to upload a PDF or text, which means you have already provided an unknown third party with your information. Do you know what they are doing with it?

What should I be using?  

Everyone has access to Microsoft 365 for free. You can use tools in this for basic PDF creation and editing.

To read PDFs

You can use Google Chrome/Microsoft Edge Web Browsers to open PDF files:

  1. Select and right-click the PDF file
  2. Choose Open with, and then select Choose another app
  3. After selecting Choose another app, select Chrome or Edge.
  4. You can make Chrome/Edge the default PDF reader by selecting “Always”

You can also drag a PDF document directly into the browser, and it will open.

To create PDFs

You can save documents to PDF within the M365 application (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Visio), by choosing to “Save as” .pdf”.

For anything that do not have a ‘save as PDF’ option, you can “print to a PDF” file. This converts a document to PDF so it is available in any program that is capable of printing (note this converts to an image so loses any accessibility features, such as alt-text for images. See Making PDFs more accessible for more information.).

To edit PDFs

PDF files are intended to be an immutable final version of a document; no changes should be made to it once published as a PDF. If you think you need to change a document, keep a working version in an another format (Word document, etc), so a new PDF can be created if changes are needed. Or make sure you store the original safely so you can go back to it later.

Sometimes you don’t have access to the original, so it is good to know that:

  • Microsoft Edge can add notes and draw on PDF files, open the PDF in the browser you prefer (Chrome can add notes but not drawing).
  • Word can edit PDFs. This works best with PDFs that are mostly text. Please see Microsoft’s support article about this for more information.
  • If you need to add a signature to a PDF, the free version of Adobe Acrobat can do this.

 

Adobe Acrobat

This is the authorised PDF application at the University of Reading.Acrobat Pro

Adobe Acrobat Reader is available free at Adobe Acrobat Online, or can be installed by the IT Service Desk onto University managed computers if you need it. On personal computers you can install direct from the Adobe website. Please ensure that you are installing from Adobe, and not a website pretending to be Adobe or hosting the download.

To purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro for full PDF editing, please complete this Software Request form. You will need a cost code to charge for the license.

Useful guides

KI 2331 Opening PDFs without Adobe Reader

KI 2452 Converting documents to PDF

How to edit a PDF – Microsoft Support

Further reading

DTS Blog Post: Where do I get software from?

DTS Blog Post: Controls for Enterprise Applications

The Dangers of Using Free Software and How to Stay Protected – Cybersecurity Tips – StudSvit.com

Contact

If you have any questions or need any advice, please contact the IT Service Desk.

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