Insidious Adobe Update

[corkyg]

I have long suspected some freeware updates of bringing malicious baggage. I just finished updating Adobe Flash, and the process was replete with unwanted "free" programs that literally polluted my system and stole my homepage. I knew it would, but I did not figure on the magnitude.

First, there were FOUR new program icons posted to my desktop. I opened Control Panel and found the programs. I uninstalled each - they did not go willingly! I then ran CCleaner, and got rid of some more pieces. Then I ran a full Threat Scan with MBAM Premium. Whoa! It found 25 malicious objects. Most were PUPs, but some were worse. I quarantined all, rebooted and then deleted all from Quarantine. Rebooted again and the system was clean. I went to IE11 and, damn! Google had replaced my homepage and wanted me to download Chrome. No way, José! Total time wasted - about 20 minutes. This is why I avoid freeware as much as possible.

Adobe Flash update will no longer be done unless I am bored.

 

[lxskllr]

Try deleting it all together. You may find Flash isn't as necessary as you thought. I have it installed, but disabled on my browser, and I don't enable it more than once every couple months. I don't have it at all on my work machine. I should probably just get rid of it altogether. Adobe, and their products are a blight on computing.

 

[corkyg]

Try deleting it all together. You may find Flash isn't as necessary as you thought. I have it installed, but disabled on my browser, and I don't enable it more than once every couple months. I don't have it at all on my work machine. I should probably just get rid of it altogether. Adobe, and their products are a blight on computing.

---------------------------
Good idea! Since I don't game, and rarely deal with web video, it probably did not bring anything important to my party! That was easy!

BTW - I get the same type of excess baggage when installing Firefox updates. After Win11, I deleted FF and closed that door.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[lxskllr]

BTW - I get the same type of excess baggage when installing Firefox updates. After Win11, I deleted FF and closed that door.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Use whatever browser you like, but it's suspicious you got crapware with Firefox updates. I've used GNU/Linux exclusively for ~5 years, but did have Windows for a little while earlier this year on the work machine, and look after the other machines at the office. I've never gotten anything I didn't want when updating. The work machines have minimal addons; mostly just security related, and all are libre software. I wonder if you got a (semi)malicious addon that caused the crapware?

 

[postmortemIA]

I use Firefox without Flash. There is extension "Open in Chrome" that opens any page in Chrome. And Chrome comes with latest Flash always, without any crapware. More and more sites support HTML5 video.

 

[thedosbox]

I don't use the auto-update or adobe's downloader, but download the MSI's directly instead:

http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

Never had any additional software installed.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Adobe is a scumbag company -- 100%.


Brian

 

[code65536]

Are you sure it was legitimate? As in, released and signed by Adobe and not some fake third-party thing that pretends to be Adobe (and bundling Flash with their crap).

Adobe Flash does not do what you describe.

 

[Elixer]

Adobe flash bundles McAfee crap by default these days, if their plugin routes you to their download page. You have to explicitly opt-out.

Wish flash would die already!

 

[jpiniero]

I use Firefox without Flash. There is extension "Open in Chrome" that opens any page in Chrome. And Chrome comes with latest Flash always, without any crapware. More and more sites support HTML5 video.

HTML5 video sucks at this point since (Firefox at least) doesn't support click to play, which is an absolute necessity. Don't know if Chrome or any other browser supports anything like that.

I use the flash player debugger download btw.

 

[daveybrat]

Are you sure it was legitimate? As in, released and signed by Adobe and not some fake third-party thing that pretends to be Adobe (and bundling Flash with their crap).

Adobe Flash does not do what you describe.

I have to agree with you 100%. I have Never had the real Adobe flash player update install any junkware programs with it. And i install the update on dozens of customer's computers each week including my own.

I think you clicked on a scam update claiming to be Adobe.

 

[PliotronX]

The biggest site for video has the HTML5 option as was posted but if you ever want to install Flash, use the MSI package. No fuss, no muss.

 

[tomny8s]

Nhiều cái hay qua đánh dấu hôm nào em ghé qua chỗ bác

 

[Spacehead]

BTW - I get the same type of excess baggage when installing Firefox updates. After Win11, I deleted FF and closed that door.

I've never had a problem with either Flash or FF installing other stuff. Might want to check where you're downloading from.

 

[daveybrat]

Nhiều cái hay qua đánh dấu hôm nào em ghé qua chỗ bác

Google Translate = Many marked the last day or any place you visit doctor

???

 

[mikeymikec]

Adobe flash bundles McAfee crap by default these days, if their plugin routes you to their download page. You have to explicitly opt-out.

Wish flash would die already!

This is the only thing I'm aware of with regard to Adobe updates, I can't say I've ever seen an Adobe update silently install crapware.

I haven't seen Firefox try to push crapware of any description.

@ OP

I suspect you had some malware on your system already and/or you had downloaded either FF or Flash from non-legit sources.

 

[flexy]

When it updates flash, as happened yesterday, it downloads and installs the McAffee crap BY DEFAULT, you need to opt-out on that site. Happened many times to me already that I forgot to do that.

 

[lxskllr]

This is the only thing I'm aware of with regard to Adobe updates, I can't say I've ever seen an Adobe update silently install crapware.

When it updates flash, as happened yesterday, it downloads and installs the McAffee crap BY DEFAULT, you need to opt-out on that site. Happened many times to me already that I forgot to do that.

Looks like we have different definitions of what crapware is. I consider McAfee crapware. Really, I consider any bundled program that isn't directly related to the primary download to be crapware, and that includes Chrome browser and other "legitimate" programs.

If you can't download a program, and do nothing but click next to get only the program you wanted installed, the companies are engaging in scummy, scammy behavior. No opt out checkboxes, no big bright download links that install crap with a little clean link hidden away, and no network fetching of crap during the install process. An opt in box is marginally acceptable, but it should be understandable to the most unaware, tech ignorant members of society.

 

[mikeymikec]

@ lxskllr

Emphasis on the word silent; ie. the user isn't informed that crapware is about to be installed, no choice, the user installs software x and also gets software y.

I consider anything by McAfee (that I'm aware of) to be crapware.

 

[corkyg]

After checking MBAM logs, the biggest offensive parasite to Flash waa Astromenda. It was followed by a Yontoo product called Clearthink.

Bottom line - anything that piggyback installs without express permission is malware.

 

[code65536]

When it updates flash, as happened yesterday, it downloads and installs the McAffee crap BY DEFAULT, you need to opt-out on that site. Happened many times to me already that I forgot to do that.

I do all of my Flash updates manually (and the installers that I use have never bundled anything), but I do have it set to auto-update on my parents' and other relatives' computers. I have never seen it install unwanted crap, and I do remote into those computers regularly to check for such things. So I dunno what you guys are using. Are these real, legitimate signed-by-Adobe installers? If so, do you have a URL??

Similarly, Firefox has never, ever bundled anything. Ever. Period. If Firefox bundled stuff, then you're not using a legitimate Mozilla installer and are using a third-party Firefox installer (they are out there, and they even pay for Google ads so that they show up when you search for Firefox).

 

[Spacehead]

I do a manual install too.
I go here to see if there's a new version out & if needed i just click on the "Player Download Center" link above the chart.
There, you do need to uncheck the McAfee optional offer though before continuing.

Never had any problems this way.

 

[Imaginer]

I don't use the auto-update or adobe's downloader, but download the MSI's directly instead:

http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

Never had any additional software installed.

Are you sure it was legitimate? As in, released and signed by Adobe and not some fake third-party thing that pretends to be Adobe (and bundling Flash with their crap).

Adobe Flash does not do what you describe.

I have to agree with you 100%. I have Never had the real Adobe flash player update install any junkware programs with it. And i install the update on dozens of customer's computers each week including my own.

I think you clicked on a scam update claiming to be Adobe.

I concur with the above. Go directly to Adobe's website per link above, not download.net/com or any other portal download site (because most if not all of them insist of installing an installer for you to even start installing your intended application).

Have not ran into this issue either.

 

[Imaginer]

One other note, IE does not need the separate Adobe Flash to work with Flash content. I know, I have tested this on my Surface Pro 2 with Opera (latest Chromium one) and IE (Desktop and Modern) without the additional Adobe software installed.

 

[nemesismk2]

Adobe is a scumbag company -- 100%.


Brian

I agree 100% because I have had problems downloading flash player from adobe