PDFster
Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are assessment reports for different malware threats which have been collected and analyzed by our research team. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards evaluate and rank threats using several metrics including real-world and potential risk factors, trends, frequency, prevalence, and persistence. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are updated regularly based on our research data and metrics and are useful for a wide range of computer users, from end users seeking solutions to remove malware from their systems to security experts analyzing threats.
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards display a variety of useful information, including:
Ranking: The ranking of a particular threat in EnigmaSoft’s Threat Database.
Severity Level: The determined severity level of an object, represented numerically, based on our risk modeling process and research, as explained in our Threat Assessment Criteria.
Infected Computers: The number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular threat detected on infected computers as reported by SpyHunter.
See also Threat Assessment Criteria.
| Threat Level: | 80 % (High) |
| Infected Computers: | 2,245 |
| First Seen: | January 28, 2022 |
| Last Seen: | May 21, 2023 |
| OS(es) Affected: | Windows |
PDFster is a Google Chrome extension that helps you find any PDF documents on the Web, provided that you type “pdf:” on your Chrome browser’s address bar. So far, so good, and it would have remained good had it not been for a few worrying facts, which cast a shadow over PDFster’s legitimacy, classifying it as a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) rather than a useful browser extension.
For a start, PDFster is advertised as a genuine Google Chrome extension. However, you can’t find in the official Chrome Web Store. Second, PDFster often lands on computers uninvited, probably as a drive-by download bundled with a more popular piece of software. Granted, PDFster is available for download from its dedicated website, too, but the vast majority of PC users who have found the tool embedded into their Chrome browsers do not remember having ever visited this website, let alone clicking on the “Download” button. Third, PDFster brings a couple of surprises with it, such as loads of pop-up ads, a new home page, as well as a possible collection of search history data.
Last but not least, there’s yet another warning sign of PDFster’s dubious nature. As evident from PDFster’s End-user license agreement, the extension was created by tersertude Ltd., the same party that created the notorious PDFBaron software. Also marketed as a Chrome extension capable of converting document formats, PDFBaron would soon turn out to be nothing but a Potentially Unwanted Program due to its hijacking features including but not limited to adding a new start page, loading numerous pop-ups, and tracking browser history. Once the PC user has reset the Chrome browser to its factory settings, PDFster can be removed either manually, or via specialized anti-malware solutions.
