Fonts Are Still A Helvetica Of A Problem; Fontpreview; UNCUT.wtf

We’ve got some pretty spiffy resources in today’s fontastic edition. If you’re short on time, the first one will help keep you safe(r) if you’re wont to download random fonts from the internet.

TL;DR

(This is an AI-generated summary of today’s Drop)

• The Canva Engineering Blog discusses the complexities and security concerns of font processing software and formats, highlighting vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-25081 and the importance of tools like OpenType-Sanitizer for protection [https://www.canva.dev/blog/engineering/fonts-are-still-a-helvetica-of-a-problem/].
• Fontpreview is a command-line tool for quickly previewing fonts on your system, utilizing utilities like fzf, imagemagick, and sxiv, with a companion project offering similar functionality [https://github.com/sdushantha/fontpreview].
• UNCUT.wtf is a free typeface catalogue featuring 152 contemporary typefaces, all OpenSIL licensed, with Liga Sans as the showcased font [https://uncut.wtf/].

---

Fonts Are Still A Helvetica Of A Problem

Fonts, those seemingly simple elements of our digital lives, are actually at the heart of a complex, fascinating, and sometimes problematic world of technology and security. The Canva Engineering Blog’s recent post, “Fonts are still a Helvetica of a Problem,” digs deep into the intricacies of font processing software, font formats, and the security concerns that arise from them. As one might expect, it’s quite the dopamine hit (for me) when two of my interests are fused together, like this. I’ll do my best to just lightly introduce the concepts they expand upon, but it’s somewhat hard to hold back, as I’ve been complaining about how daft it is that it’s still possible to get kernel-level access by composing a malicious font.

We’ve looked at the technical details of fonts across many a Typography Tuesday. These files need to be processed by something to work in our systems. Specialized font processing software is tasked with interpreting and rendering the vast array of font specifications and formats that exist today. From the early days of bitmap fonts to the current landscape dominated by OpenType and TrueType formats, the evolution of font technology has been both revolutionary and fraught with challenges. The complexity of these formats and the software required to process them create a broad attack surface for malicious actors. As Canva’s exploration into font vulnerabilities demonstrates, the security implications are far-reaching, affecting everything from individual users to large corporations.

The variety of font formats adds another layer of complexity. OpenType, the standard font format, encompasses subformats like TrueType and CFF, offering extensive typographic capabilities and broad compatibility. However, this versatility comes at a cost. The more features and compatibility a format supports, the more opportunities there are for security vulnerabilities to emerge. Canva’s proactive approach to identifying and mitigating such vulnerabilities is commendable, but it also highlights the ongoing battle between functionality and security in font management.

Security concerns in font processing are not to be underestimated. Fonts are ubiquitous and integral to digital communication, yet they can be weaponized in sophisticated cyberattacks. The vulnerabilities discovered by Canva, such as CVE-2024-25081, underscore the importance of treating fonts with the same caution as any other untrusted input. Implementing sandboxing and employing tools like OpenType-Sanitizer are critical steps in safeguarding against font-based exploits. Moreover, the collaborative effort between security engineers and the open-source community in patching these vulnerabilities is a testament to the collective responsibility we share in securing the digital ecosystem.

Whether you’re a developer, designer, or just dabbler, I’d posit that understanding the “Helvetica of a problem” that fonts represent is something you may want to carve out a few moments to read and absorb. They did a great job making a complex topic very accessible, even the parts where they show you how to craft a few exploits (use this new knowledge responsibly!).

Fontpreview

Fontpreview is a nifty command-line tool that’s all about giving you a quick and customizable way to preview fonts installed on your machine. It’s a bash script that leverages some well-known utilities like fzf for fuzzy searching, imagemagick for image generation, and sxiv for image display, making it a lightweight yet powerful option for those who prefer working within the terminal environment.

You can even generate previews in one shot (e.g. fontpreview -i font.otf -o preview.png), which means you can have a visual inventory of your font collection in mere seconds.

It has a companion project that uses a different set of utilities to accomplish similar goals.

UNCUT.wtf

UNCUT.wtf is a free typeface catalogue, focusing on somewhat contemporary type. There are currently 152 typefaces featured, and all the fonts are OpenSIL licensed.

The section header showcases the gorgeous Liga Sans.

(Not much more to say!)

FIN

Remember, you can follow and interact with the full text of The Daily Drop’s free posts on Mastodon via @dailydrop.hrbrmstr.dev@dailydrop.hrbrmstr.dev ☮️