| Sneaky Adobe Flash Player Background Updater The Flash background updater automatically scheduled itself to periodically run, without my knowledge and against my opt-out wishes.
I'd specifically disabled it in the Flash Player Settings Manager. But it ran anyway. Avast caught it, blocked it and notified me.
I've manually removed the Flash Updater from scheduled tasks.
For more information read -
Introducing Adobe Flash Player Background Updater for Windows:
said by Adobe :Adobe is introducing Flash Player Background Updater for Microsoft Windows in Flash Player version 11.2. This new update mechanism silently updates Windows computers with the latest Adobe Flash Player patches and updates, eliminating the need for users to perform these updates themselves. When Adobe releases new versions of Flash Player through the background update channel, Adobe Flash Player Background Updater automatically updates all instances of the release version of Adobe Flash Player for web browsers on any computer on which it is installed and enabled. The installation experience is silent; no notifications will appear before, during, or after an update is performed by Adobe Flash Player Background Updater. |
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| said by FF4me :I've manually removed the Flash Updater from scheduled tasks. I also disabled the Adobe Flash Player Update service.
I prefer being in control of my Flash installation. |
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 deke40Premium
join:2003-01-23
Texas | reply to FF4me
I have it set in Spybot to not update. |
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| Good idea. |
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 CudniLa Merma - VigiladoPremium,MVM
join:2003-12-20
Someshire
kudos:13 | reply to FF4me
I leave it on. The amount of time it updates these days makes life easier.
Cudni |
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 siljalineI'm lovin' that double widePremium
join:2002-10-12
Montreal, QC
kudos:17
 ·Bell Sympatico
| reply to FF4me
It's user choice • I turn mine off as well as the MSCONFIG items that impact Adobe Services in W7 forward. |
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| Exactly. I didn't like how the updater ran itself after I told it never to do so. |
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| reply to Cudni
In my case I deleted the auto updater program and the corresponding flash update service from my XP Pro SP3 box. Had no issues installing both the active and plugin versions nor any issues after removing both items above so far. It's like how it was before they shoved this service/updater down it's users throats. |
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OZOPremium
join:2003-01-17
kudos:2 | reply to Cudni
said by Cudni:I leave it on. The amount of time it updates these days makes life easier.
Cudni
Then you deliberately make your computers less secure.
How many critical security updates do you know that come from Macromedia Flash? A LOT!!! And why do you think it is? Because they want to make it so.
Flash should never be able to change (or even read and then send back to the Internet) your registry settings. Period. But they (Macromedia) insist on that. And in order to do so they always try to elevate privileges of Flash programs to higher level. And to make sure that it will be elevated anyway (and all security protection settings that you could make will be reverted back as they need) they want to do it with NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM privileges. That's why they silently set scheduled tasks without any notice or your permission. And that's why they want to run their service all the time on background. In simple words, they hack your computer, making it less secure...
If you want your computer to run safe - never, ever allow Macromedia auto updates to run.
And if you don't want Macromedia updater to rule your computer - you may want to read my recent post how to do it.
--
Keep it simple, it'll become complex by itself... |
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CudniLa Merma - VigiladoPremium,MVM
join:2003-12-20
Someshire
kudos:13 | said by OZO:said by Cudni:I leave it on. The amount of time it updates these days makes life easier.
Cudni
Then you deliberately make your computers less secure. Maybe, if you were writing the script 
Seriously though, I chose to strike a healthy balance between having my comps secured while actually having time to make a good use out of them. All in a day's work
Cudni
--
"what we know we know the same, what we don't know, we don't know it differently."
Help yourself so God can help you.
Microsoft MVP, 2006 - 2011/12 |
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| reply to FF4me
Well as I opted for the never check for update choice, and it completely ignored me and still added the software. I think I sue them under The Computer Misuse Act
The UK Computer Misuse Act 1990 created three categories of offence:
unauthorised access to computer material:
there must be intent to access a program or data stored on a computer, and the person must know that this access is not authorised.
This is why login screens often carry a message saying that access is limited to authorised persons: this may not prevent a determined and ingenious hacker getting access to the system, but they will not be able to claim ignorance of committing an offence.
unauthorised access with intent to commit a further offence: for instance accessing personal files or company records in order to commit fraud or blackmail.
unauthorised modification of programs or data on a computer. |
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 DustynPremium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
kudos:10 | reply to Cudni
I think it's a good idea to leave the service enabled and functioning for computers you don't have time to spend updating manually. I'll leave this service enabled for my family PC... as my parents would not like to keep updating manually. |
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| reply to OZO
said by OZO:And if you don't want Macromedia updater to rule your computer - you may want to read my recent post how to do it.
Thanks! |
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 therube
join:2004-11-11
Randallstown, MD | reply to Dustyn
quote:
I think it's a good idea to leave the service enabled and functioning for computers you don't have time to spend updating manually.
Agreed.
The other day when I was putting the updates on my computers (I download once & then copy to other computers through the network), I went over to my brothers computer & was about to update, but he said, "don't mess with it, I'm doing stuff, what do you need to do?" - even though he wasn't actually using the computer at the time. I said, OK, I don't need to do anything.
So next time he computer is "free", I'll update it that time, & set to have it automatically update in the future, & that will be that. |
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siljalineI'm lovin' that double widePremium
join:2002-10-12
Montreal, QC
kudos:17 | reply to FF4me
Please review my finding in this post |
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 hayc59Im Your HuckleberryPremium
join:2001-02-26
David R.I.P.
kudos:21
 ·Comcast
| reply to Dustyn
said by Dustyn:I think it's a good idea to leave the service enabled and functioning for computers you don't have time to spend updating manually. I'll leave this service enabled for my family PC... as my parents would not like to keep updating manually.
Agreed!! Good Choices |
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| reply to FF4me
If you're worried about Flash updating why are you ever using it? Flash is a horrendous mess of security holes, at least some of them get plugged at the update. It's still better to just not install it and just use HTML5, most sites have already migrated due to iOS not supporting Flash anyways. |
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 Dude111An Awesome DudePremium
join:2003-08-04
USA
kudos:11 | reply to Cudni
Yes you have a point Cudni but what happens if it SILENTLY UPDATES and then it doesnt work?? -- Then you have to spend time UNDOING THE UPDATE!
Why update something FOR NO REASON?? .... ITS QUITE STUPID! |
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| reply to intok
Re: Sneaky Adobe Flash Player Background Updater said by intok:If you're worried about Flash updating why are you ever using it? Flash is a horrendous mess of security holes Agreed. Once HTML5 is fully functional across all sites there will be no need for its further existence. |
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| reply to Dude111
Re: Dude111, are you suggesting never to update flash? |
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