Hi, Anyone know what this means please: Plugin process wants to use confidential information stored in "v4.services.acrobat.com" in keychain?

[Steve MacLaurin]

Hi,

Got the above message today when exiting Safari browser. May have been coincidental.

Does anyone know what this plugin process is please? I updated to Acrobat DC two days ago and wasn't using acrobat when I got this message.

[Junius]

I have the same question and can't find the answer anywhere. When attempting to access PDF documents on the web the dialog box closes momentarily when selecting Deny only to return again and again and I am unable to view or access the PDF download.

If anyone can help us it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Junius · Accepted solution]

Steve,

I just spoke w/Adobe. This dialog box and its reference to information is only for and is restricted to our personal Acrobat accounts and is not for access to or by any outside party or parties. Adobe said that, in fact, we have to "Allow" this or we will not be able to view documents that are not stored on our machines or stored in the cloud.

Hope this helps,

~ JB III

[Steve MacLaurin]

‌Thanks for your persistence and help with this Junius. I tried contacting the Adobe team, but got into a long queue and they didn't seem to know the answer. Perhaps this should be in their help database.

Seems bizarre that viewing of PDF's are now tracked?

Best wishes,

Steve

[Junius]

Steve,

I don't know how old you are, but it's all too "1984" with no way around it without being entirely off the grid and for most of us it's much too late for that.

Peace

Carpe Diem

[Pammylu]

I would much rather hear this answer from Adobe, instead of some third party person that we don't know. Anyone have a link to Adobe that gives a better answer as to the WHY behind their answer? It feels like a very creepy imposition into my confidential keychain information that would not be under lock and key if there wasn't a good reason for it to be.

[Pammylu]

BTW, I'm ready to un-install Acrobat DC because I've have kernel panics at least twice a day on my iMac since installing it. This foray into my keychain may somehow be related. What gives, Adobe?

[warrior1003]

What gives here. Why would Adobe not take a responsible response position on this question and provide some rational or explanation as to why the requirement of storing profile information in "keychain" is document viewing dependent.

Here is a write up that should concern most users that allow "keychain" to store sensitive profile information in "keychain".

Full article link "keychain vulnerability" Vulnerability in Apple portal compromised iOS keychain access groups — Erik Romijn

A little while ago, I discovered a vulnerability in the Apple provisioning portal, where developers register App IDs and provisioning profiles. The portal made the mistaken assumption that it could rely on the browser. The impact was that any developer could submit an app that would be able to read the Keychain entries created by another app if the other app used Keychain access groups, a commonly used and widely recommended feature.

The end result is that it allowed any iOS developer to create an app that passes App Store validation and could read the secrets stored by specific third-party apps, such as Dropbox, PayPal or the Google Authenticator. I first noticed this vulnerability was fixed on October 10, 2014, over one year after my initial report to Apple.

Erik does indicate that this vulnerability was fixed in 10/10/14 but we know that as security becomes more robust equally does the capability of hackers to breech it.

I would like to hear from Adobe on this concern.

[brandbrilliance]

Yeah. Adobe, Please fix this nonsense. I don't want a "Cloud" only solution for PDFs. That was a HUGE mistake. You can download the App from the cloud and update it from the cloud and add service to it from the cloud but don't make it a "browser in the cloud" app. That's nonsense. What about people in countries who don't have internet access all the time, and is spotty.

[wanderer]

I really believe Acrobat is run as a separate company - it is the "evil" Adobe. It is completely different culturally and behaviorally from the professional, well run company that does their mainstream products.

[DerrylS]

I have no intention to keeping any of my files or information in anyone's cloud. I have full Acrobat and Reader and this problem with PlugInProcess happened after the new version of Acrobat was installed little over a month ago. Also I am getting really tired of daily clicking on deny every time I get into cookies and website data in Safari security to clear items. There is no logical reason for Adobe to access the keychain under these circumstances.

[MichaelAlbany]

I just want to drop a note in here to let you all know that Junius is not correct. You can still view any PDF anywhere. The issue is you have to click Deny 17-22 times. If you want to change the size of the PDF online, another 17-22 clicks.

I don't use keychain, but I am still not letting Adobe access it. There is no need. Ever.

[MichaelAlbany]

Additionally note #3 under Safari instructions. It states in Adobe's documentation (AKA the screenshot) that

"Adobe Reader" does not support the highest level of security for Safari Plugins.

Websites using this plugin may be able to access your personal documents and data.

This screams to me NO!

[Zavala_JB]

Adding my voice here...  No way Adobe.  [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY] [DENY]

Oh my gosh, will it ever stop?!  But seriously, the answer is NO!

[Jonathan Wills]

I have found that if I hit deny enough times, eventually the dialog box will go away. It appears to have no effect on reading the online PDF. So the box is really meaningless.

[MichaelAlbany]

Jonathan - I think the magic number for me is 17 or 18 times.

[Anup_K]

This is Mac keychain access control dialog and shows up when Acrobat plugin loaded in Safari application attempts to access credential entries created by Acrobat application in standalone mode. The access prompt is thrown by the OS when a keychain entry is accessed by an application different from the one that created it  (here Safari accessing keychain entries created by Acrobat application).

If you choose to 'Always Allow', this prompt won't show up again. We've been able to reproduce the problem discussed here with 'Deny' and will fix it in a patch soon.

[MichaelAlbany]

Anup_K

Thank you!  First for identifying the issue as an actual issue and second for fixing it. In the mean time, I am still going to hit Deny.

Now will you please tell support that it isn't an Apple issue?

Thanks!

[cherthoughts]

STAFF,

Will Adobe post a formal announcement about this on its website to include when a patch will be available?

Regards!

[MichaelAlbany]

cherthoughts

I would bet that when this fix is released it will just be an update in your Creative Cloud. As a former support director (not for Adobe), that is what I would do.

[Anup_K]

This issue will be fixed through an automatic product update. There will also be a public announcement related to the update.

In the meantime, I would suggest to go ahead and choose the option to "Accept Always" in this dialog for v4.services.acrobat.com keychain entry. There isn't any security downside in allowing this keychain access. You won't see this dialog again, once you choose "Accept Always". Of course, Acrobat should behave well even when you choose "Deny". This is the part that will be fixed in the next update.

[ssandhaus]

My problem is that I have clicked "Accept Always" but the dialog still appears every time I open a PDF in Safari.  Any fix for that??

[NDAPhoto]

I agree it is a poor implementation, one that was forced with Acrobat DC. Have you ever had your "secure" personal info breached as noted above? Acknowledging there is a bug, then saying go ahead and allow it for now, is not the desired response.

[nils.tt]

It´s not fixed up to now. Are there any plans at Evil Corp. Adobe Inc. to repair this buggy piece of "software"?

[CSmith1620]

I can't believe there still isn't a solution. This has been going on for almost a year. Maybe Adobe doesn't look at this because it is marked "Answered" even though the answer doesn't work. Cheap way to get around ignoring something. I tried starting a new discussion about this. It was locked down and people were referred here by an "employee" who ignored what I wrote. It is so frustrating. And I don't have several hours to sit on hold waiting for someone in India to pick up.