... in the "More Holes Than a Block of" category:

People often ask me why I'm down on Adobe software, especially their "Free" software. I have lots of reasons, not the least of which is their unmitigated gall, but that's another debate. Today's post supports what I've been saying for a long time.

Adobe's code-monkey's shouldn't be allowed within 50 yards of a computer, ever again.

From ZDNet:

As seen in figures 8 and 9, malicious PDF files comprised 56% of exploits in 1Q09, growing to 80% of all exploits by 4Q09. Conversely, Flash exploits dropped from 40% in 1Q09 to 18% in 4Q09. This trend is likely indicative of attackers’ preference for PDF exploit, probably due to a combination of increasing availability of vulnerabilities in Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat and the continued widespread use and acceptance of PDF files in both the workplace and consumer sectors.

That's why.

Basically, these guys produce software that's all about protecting "Intellectual Property". They won all of their clientbase originally by lack of competition, and - through intimidation, litigation and outright purchases of those they could not out-litigate, have kept things that way ever since. The usefullnes of any given software isn't the point, their desire to prevent the rest of us from having access to things we already possess is.

All of this would be a moot point if their software wasn't deisgned in this way. If it weren't for the really poorly thought out locks and doors in the PDF format, it wouldn't be such a grand vector for infection. The same is true for Flash, png, jpg and gif exploits. Without all of the accepted methods of "protecting" data, most of these vectors would not exist.

Chew on that for a while.