Adobe Acrobat DC : LogTransport2.exe using 50+% CPU continuously

[MarcoB2]

This process is eating up my CPU : LogTransport Application (32bit), using 50+% constantly.

Adobe support made me reinstall acrobat DC, but no change. Adobe support does not know the process apparently and guided me to the forum.

Can somebody please tell what this process is doing, if it is necessary and if and how to disable it.

[ls_rbls]

Hi,

First off, the tech support rep should've recommend you to update to the optional update that was released for May 2020.

Sometimes issues like this are already addressed in a more recent update.

Second, a  software resintallation should be performed  IF  repairing  the installation failed.

Always try updating first. If updating didn't resolve the issue then try repairing the installation so you don't loose your preferences and other settings. If that fails then uninstall and reinstall.

And since you've been already using the software for a while, there are user preferences and other applications in that computer that are also interacting with Acrobat, including the operating system.

LogTransport is not a system process from what I read, and  it can be removed or even disabled via registry (if you're using MS Windows). If you're using macOS  it should (just saying it should) be the same via Plist.

It is my very personal opinion that you can disable it safely or even remove it, but you have to dig more and discover what other services and programs are interacting with LogTransport.

The issue may not be exclusively related to that process alone. And messing around with deleteing, removeing or disabling should be performed if you really know what you're doing. Even if you know what to do, these type of processes and programs are there for a reason. Caution and research should be taken into consideration.

That is why you should try first to update and see if the  problem disappears when the new update is applied. 

Last, since the tech support rep suggested to uninstall and reinstall, he/she should've guided you on how to use the Acrobat Cleanup and Repair Tool to remove old traces of the program and prepare your system to accept a fresh installation of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

[MarcoB2]

Thanks for the info.

I did a repair of acrobat DC (on my initiative), then a remove and a reinstall (guided by support), and that didn't change anything.

I have now deleted the adobe acrobat reader product from my machine (release from early may 2020) and the issue is solved.

Conclusion : last release of adobe acrobat reader introduced the bug.

[ls_rbls]

Ok great! That is good info and thanks for sharing.

Don't forget to mark your solution as correct answer.

[Vinod Dobhal]

Hi,

We are sorry for the inconvenience caused due to the issue. Could you pls. provide us with a process dump for the issue in order to investigate the root cause? You can take the dump of both LogTransport2.exe and Acrobat.exe. The detailed steps to create dumps are provided in the link: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/collect-logs-crash-freeze.html

Thanks,

Vinod

[mwillis1]

I am having the same problem.  I have delete Reader (but still have Acrobat DC installed) and downloaded trhe latest update but cpntinue to have logtransporter consume ~20% of my CPU unless I manually end it.  

[ls_rbls]

Share a dump file like Vinod suggested so that the engineering team take a look at this.

[Sampsa Suomen Latu]

I have the same problem too but not with Acrobat. If I open the file location for the process from taskmanager (Win10) it depends on the application i've used previously. Sometimes it is the LogTransport2.exe in Photoshop folder sometimes in Premiere, sometimes InDesing. So the problems is not with Acrobat per se but with Creative Cloud, probably again something stupid like failing autoupdate for the ********** Creative Cloud app itself. Tried to install it again by downloading the installer but that did nothing. Going to try uninstalling and reinstalling if that helps but i suspect i have to reinstall all the applications from scratch like last time something like this happend 😞

[Sampsa Suomen Latu]

Actually found out an interesting fact that the Adobe engineers might want to look at. The LogTransport2.exe process goes into a CPU hogging loop only if I have my VPN (OpenVPN based) connected.

When I tested with multiple CC programs without the VPN connected then the process appears after closing the application but doesn't consume a lot of CPU cycles and quits after maybe 1-2min. With VPN connected it goes hayware consuming a lot of CPU cycles and won't close automatically.

So I guess somehow the VPN interferes with the datamining of the logtransport process... 😉

[ls_rbls]

Hey, 

This is really spot on observation!

I think that happens because of the LZO compression and decompression of the tunneling encryption mechanism.

I think that  you can also test a few things out:

•  eliminate the use of IPv6 from automatic DHCP for both Internet and internal private network.

• At the network adapter level, observe how the anti-virus, Windows defender, and the firewall and VPN rules interact with each other. Having a strict firewall at the router/VPN level and also a firewall in Windows at the operating system level can arise problems like this. One firewall (on Windows) allows communication out of your computer while the router blocks it, for example. 
• A good practice that usually works pretty well with stubborn programs that you should not uninstall  is to loopback the application to use a 127.0.0.1 address.

•  And at the router level, maybe forwarding a dedicated port  just for the LogTransport service would be possible to work around too
• Last, yoi can also verify the behavior of the app when you switch to only accept UDP protocol instead of TCP/IP for the same port number (or socket) that LogTransport is already configured to use.

•  UDP is a connectionless protocol; it doesn't involve a three-way handshaking negotiation process between two computers in order to transmit data,  nor  keeping the connection alive, and in contrast to TCP/IP, it doesn't  require to verify if the data was sent successfully between your the two nodes (your computer and whatever Adobe server is trying to communicate with, for example).

From the way you're describing the hogging of the CPU it almost gives the impression of a DDoS  attack.

So maybe switching in your firewall to allow LogTransport to communicate with UDP only can be an actual successful approach that doesn't compromise the security you had before with your VPN.

[Sampsa Suomen Latu]

Thanks for the suggestions and comments. Unfortunately I don't have access to configure the firewall or VPN settings since it's for my work. I think for the moment i'll just resort to manually killing the process after quitting the relevant Adobe application and wait for an update. Since the LogTransport2.exe starts only after quitting the app itself and not during use it's not the end of the world.

[ls_rbls]

Hey, I forgot to add to my last reply that last year, openVPN had a security vulnerability issue.

But there is a lot more to it.

Share this link with your IT staff:

https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/cert/2019/11/vpn---a-gateway-for-vulnerabilities.html 

I also forgot to add this:

• https://www.file.net/process/logtransport2.exe.html 

And here is an official answer and solution  from Adobe :

•  https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/close-logtransport2.html  

NOTE: If disabling LogTransport2 from your computer works without disabling the VPN, then that is great.

But even if the problem goes away with/or without the use of a VPN,  you're IT staff should verify, in addition to disabling LogTransport, that both the router firmware and the VPN service have addressed possible vulnerabilities related  to the VPN itself  with the latest updates and patches.

[Vinod Dobhal]

Hi All,

We have released an update today to address some important issues that have been reported in the field. This release also fixes the issues reported in this forum post. Pls.  update your installation of Acrobat / Reader DC to the latest version 20.009.20067 through help > check for updates to get the latest patch. Thanks for all your feedback.

Thanks & Regards,

Vinod 

[LogTransport Sufferer]

To those who have done some digging, thank you for the added information.  I will pass it along to the my IT staff.  I will also watch if it happens more often with connected to VPN.

Vinod,

I have completed the option update you reference above and am on 20.012.20043 version with the issue returning.  Let's keep the ball rolling to find a cure.....to the LogTransport issue. 

[Vinod Dobhal]

LogTransport2.exe is used by multiple products of Adobe. Are you having an issue with Acrobat only? We had fixed it in the above build. If you are having the issue, you can provide us with the process dump or procmon log.

For other products, it would be better to log in the separate forums, so that the respective support teams can have a look at it.

Thanks,

Vinod

[LogTransport Sufferer]

Vinod,

Thanks.  I'll see if my IT team can help me with the dump files.   It happens no matter what application I use inside of the creative cloud suite.  I use Acrobat Pro DC 99% of the time and Photoshop DC the rest.  Having both open at the same time is catostrophic for me.  This issue is not tied to 1 application it is tied to all of them but being that I use Acrobat 99% of the time I'm concentrating my efforts here.  I tried to remove creative cloud program but was unsuccessful.  There are 5 different threads on this one issue and I've tried all of the remedies with no luck.  I stall haven't tried what you suggested above but I don't know which answer I should select.   Can you send over the instructions for the dump you are looking for?

Again, this error isn't about what happens when you restart or shut down the computer and you get the message.  This issue is about keeping it from happening while you are working and unless you pick up on the tell tale signs of the perfomance issues you won't actually know that it has happened to you until you restart.  It has happened so often to me that I know the instant it the error takes place..  

[LogTransport Sufferer]

Vinod,

Hoping to see a response from you on the above.  Would like to put this behind me as I've done everything under the sun to fix this thing and it still happens.  Can I just remove the application from the program file?

This application is only to send information back to Adobe which I'm not really in favor of to begin with.  

Thanks.

[Vinod Dobhal]

Can you pls. provide us with the dump /procmon log as requested? Also, let us know what all Adobe products are you using apart from Acrobat/Reader along with the versions of those. As I said earlier LogTransport2.exe is being used by multiple products. You need to post this in the specific forum of the product which has the issue.

Thanks,

Vinod

[LogTransport Sufferer]

Vinod,

I'm ready to produce the logs.  Can you provide the instructions on getting them to you?

Thanks.

[LogTransport Sufferer]

Vinod,

I have 3-4 instances of the situation happening, can you please let me know how I can provide the information to you?

Thanks.

[Vinod Dobhal]

You can share the logs with me using any file share utility. Also can you pls. let me know the version of LogTransport2.exe in all of your Adobe products.

Thanks,

Vinod

[coalfield]

I am happy to share the logs but I am sorry I dont know how to do it.  Do you have step by step instructions?

as a side not it looks like when windows is shutting down, its almost shutting down too quickly for LogTransport2 to close before it gets to the shutting down screen.  Depending on the speed of the system maybe why some people are not seeing this error. 

The error appears at the same time the popup sometimes shows for applications are not closed are you sure you want to shutdown message.

[LogTransport Sufferer]

@Vinod Dobhal,

I have sent you a private message to understand how to get you the dump file(s) but I haven't received a response.  Are you able to me know.

Thanks.

[coalfield]

+1 Same issue here, its bee going on for years and Adobe refuse to address it