Back in March 2025, the FBI sent out a warning in regards to using web online file converters due to their association with malware downloads. These web based online converters are ones such as those that combine multiple images into a PDF file, or that convert a PDF to Word, Word to PDF, or PDF compressors, and more. The online site converts your file for you, but adds additional malware to the PDF. It has long been known that Word and PDF files can contain maliscious malware. When the PDF is opened on the computer, the malware then downloads its payload onto the computer without the knowledge of the person.
When we use these risky sites, we risk malware downloading onto our media center PCs. While they do have pretty good anti-malware software on them, the risk of infection is still present. In the fall of 2025, we had two PCs that had malware on them that used up all of the drive memory and had to be reformatted. We also had another Media Center PC get infected that had to be reformatted. Don't forget that we send PDFs home with our patrons that we have helped to create, with the potential to open infected files on their home PCs. We don't want to be compromising their computers.
Please be vigilant. There are two sites that have been around a long time that are likely valid secure sites - SmallPDF.com & ILovePDF.com They both offer subscription based services so they would not want to risk compromising customers with malware. Beyond these sites, it will be difficult to know for certain whether they are safe or not.
Don't forget that we also have the Adobe Acrobat app installed on one of our PCs which can create and shrink PDF files. This would be a better choice to consider versus online file converters.
For more information about this and the FBI Warning, please click HERE.
