Two notable online PDF conversion tools have been found to have exposed users’ sensitive documents.
According to CyberNews, PDF Pro and Help PDF, two prominent PDF creation tools, unintentionally revealed over 89,000 sensitive user documents. This breach was attributed to a database configuration error that exposed the information via an unprotected Amazon S3 bucket.
The leaked documents consist of crucial personal information, including passports, driver’s licenses, certificates, contracts, and various other types of documents. The concerning aspect is that malicious individuals could potentially exploit this information to engage in fraudulent activities, such as obtaining loans, renting property, or making high-value purchases in the victim’s name.
As of now, the company responsible for these tools has not issued an official response. However, it is anticipated that measures will be taken to secure the Amazon S3 storage and prevent further data leaks.
This incident serves as a reminder of the risks associated with unprotected databases, which frequently lead to the serious leakage of information. Numerous large businesses and even government entities have encountered similar vulnerabilities, resulting in the exposure of millions of records.
Online services, particularly those that are free, often do not prioritize investment in information security. Therefore, users are advised to exercise extra caution when using such services, particularly when sharing sensitive personal information.