Do I need to install Connect or Flash?

[Guest]

Hello,

     I've been asked by a vendor to download Adobe Connect in order to have a meeting in which he wants to show me screen images. He does not need me to share my screen with him. He has given me the URL www.adobe.com/go/Connectsetup to download the software.

     I checked the main webpage for Adobe Connect, and it says, "There's nothing for participants to install or configure, Adobe Connect works in any modern browser."

     I found the page that provides the above "Connectsetup" link, and it says, "The Adobe Connect meeting application is required to join, present or host a meeting if you do not have Adobe Flash Player installed or to share your screen in an Adobe Connect meeting."

     So one page tells me that "There's nothing for participants to install," while another page tells me that I need to install Connect if I don't have Flash. It also suggests that installing Connect will allow my screen to be shared, which I don't want.

     I checked my Firefox add-ons, and I do not have an extension installed for Flash. I have seen recommendations not to use Flash anymore because it's a security risk. However, if I do need to decide between installing Connect and Flash, I suppose Flash would be better for two reasons: (a) Firefox only allows Flash to run on a per-instance basis, requiring my approval before each time it is used, and (b) Flash does not allow my screen to be shared, so I wouldn't need to worry about a vulnerability from that.

     So which is correct? Is there nothing to install, or do I need to decide between installing either Connect or Flash in order to allow the vendor to run the meeting he wants to? And if I'm going to decide between them, is there less vulnerability from using Flash? I have a lot of confidential work on my computer and need to be careful about what software I install.

     Thanks for your help.

(Reference for later, maybe: Link to install and test Flash)

[Jorma_at_CoSo]

You can join an Adobe Connect session with your web browser using HTML (if enabled by the person hosting the room) or Flash with no additionalinstalls required. You can also join using the Desktop Application, which doesn't require Flash to be installed or enabled in your browser. The App can be installed from this web page, https://helpx.adobe.com/adobe-connect/connect-downloads-updates.html#Application, or when joining an Adobe Connect room. 

If you are not sharing your screen then the Applicaiton is not required. As far as security, if you don't share anything then there isn't really a risk. If you use the Desktop Applicaiton, it uses a sandboxed version of Flash that isn't able to be used outside of that application. The meeting should be run using SSL, but that is a setting the meeting host needs to ensure is enabled.

[Kay374004601z4x]

Hello, 

Would you mind letting me know where the admin needs to enable settings so guests can join the room via a web browser?
Thanks so much in advance!

[TheLostPilot]

Hi, The original thread is from 2019, so the response is not applicable now.
Adobe Connect session can be joined from any modern browser. There is no specific setting which needs to be changed for this. 
Account Admins, however do have an option where they can mandate usage of Adobe Connect Desktop application only or browser only for attendees. 

• Visit Admin -> Compliance and Control -> Advanced Settings.
  • Uncheck "Enable browser access" to prevent users from using browsers to join sessions
  • To only allow usage of browser and not desktop application, check "Always open in browser"

• Visit Admin -> Compliance and Control -> Access Setting to control guest access to rooms centrally. Any change here applies to all rooms.
• If not mandated from here, hosts will have an option to allow/remove guest access from the room's Edit Information page in Connect Central.