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+[[!meta  title="Portable document format"]]
+
+[PDF][] is a common format used to distribute content online, and
+provides more of a "digital paper" feel than more flexible formats
+like [[HTML]].  This determinism is why tools like [[LaTeX]] work well
+with PDFs.  Unfortunately, the PDF specs have evolved over the years,
+incorperating more of HTMLs "features" like JavaScript (PDF 1.3,
+2000), and as the specs get more complicated, PDF readers get larger
+and more complicated, and there are more possiblities for security
+holes.
+
+For a quick, quasi-technical introduction, see Didier Stevens's
+articles on the [structure of PDF files][struct] and [malicious
+variants][mal] as well as his list of [parsing tools][tools].  If you
+want a bit more detail, Didier wrote up [a 23 page summary][book].
+
+
+[PDF]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Document_Format
+[struct]: http://blog.didierstevens.com/2008/04/09/quickpost-about-the-physical-and-logical-structure-of-pdf-files/
+[mal]: http://blog.didierstevens.com/2008/04/29/pdf-let-me-count-the-ways/
+[tools]: http://blog.didierstevens.com/programs/pdf-tools/
+[book]: http://blog.didierstevens.com/2010/09/26/free-malicious-pdf-analysis-e-book/