adobe flashplayer update installs mcafee crapware

[Bob_Timms]

Updated flash player and these adobe installed macafee crapware without even asking!!!! How can they do that? Why would they do that? Why do they want to piss off someone especially a customer! They have made me a totally RELUCTANT customer now.

[libflashplayer_so]

during the installation there should have been an opt-out check box (see screenshot)

it's possible you overlooked this screen?  or did you uncheck and the installation still went through?  or did you happen to try another alternative and mcafee was installed?  if alternative, would you explain the steps you took to get to that state?  thanks...

[Guest · Accepted solution]

No the download and install starts immediately. see http://www.adobe.com/go/getflash/ when embedded:

Where can I send the invoice for the half an hour lost deinstalling the crap!

[chris.campbell]

Can you point me to a page that embeds this?  Going to http://www.adobe.com/go.getflash/ by itself does not start an immediate download.

[Ritergeek]

I also had this happen a few days ago. It's impossible to point to the page, because the process initiated from an auto-alert when I restarted my computer. I have noticed this McAfee default download before and was alert for it. I did not see the usual option box. When the download began and I saw McAfee included, I aborted the process and began again, once again not seeing the option to avoid it.

I went ahead and allowed Flash to install, then because I already have the non-Mcaffee suite of my choice installed, I immediately uninstalled Mcafee, then had to restart my computer.

As much as I appreciate Flash (and miss it on my iPad!), I don't appreciate this heavy-handed approach.

[Ritergeek]

P.S. I found a file on my system, install_flash_player.exe.

File description: Adobe® Flash® Player Installer/Uninstaller.

Company: Adobe System,s Inc.

File version: 10.3.181.26

Date created: 6/24/2011 11:43 AM

Size 2.93

When I clicked on this, it began the installation process, with the usual permission process. However it warns that it isn't going to install the latest version. So, I quit. But this is the way my update process always begins, with an alert in the upper left allowing the option of forgetting it, delaying, or proceeding.

[chris.campbell]

That's an older version of the Player.  I'd suggest doing a clean install and getting the newest version.  The new version will also give you the ability for silent auto updating.

How do I do a clean install of Flash Player?

[Ritergeek]

I realize that's an old version. I do have the most current one. My point was that the auto-update function does not point to a webpage, so we can't show you where the menu is that does not include the option of excluding the very unwelcome installation of McAfee, which could jeopardize our current security system.

[WMRFScoundrel]

Hi Chris, I've got a simple question that I don't want to start a new thread over, being similar enough to this.

I just got the usual looking pop up for update, auto redirects to a get3.adobe.com/blahblahblah

Is this get3 official?

[C_F_McBlob]

get3.adobe.com IS official. It's the updater subdomain.

[chris.campbell]

Yep, it's official

[sean_in_sf]

I am very familiar with the usual "opt-out" window that lets me un-check one or more boxes. Today, however, while updating Flash Player, I did not get that opportunity to opt out. The first mention of anything else was when I looked at the little window with the Player installation progress bar and saw a second such bar for McAfee "Security Scan Plus". There was no way to terminate that install process. I had to wait for it to finish, then go into my programs menu and use McAfee's own uninstaller. (Which is not exactly confidence-inspiring, given their loooong history of tough-to-uninstall products!)

This is Adobe being sleezy, I really feel.

[teknojo]

Hello Chris Campell,

I established an account so I could comment on this thread

I too experienced this annoying issue with Mcafee today. I turned on the computer and the Adobe updater popped up and told me Adobe needed updating. I clicked it and it took me to this page

http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

When you click the "update now" button it gives you this download file:

As the instructions on the follow page say, I double click the EXE file and it begins installation. It does the Adobe installation bar on the pop-up and right below that it does the Mcafee installaion bar. I stopped the process and went back because I am used to the opt out radio button being somewhere, but I could not find it in the process.

I just went through with it and removed the Mcafee program after everything finished installing. It was only an additional five minutes, maybe. I have exerted more time and effort on this post then deleting the offending program.

I am sure it is just a mild glitch, or at worse Mcafee being invasive on their part in some way. Anyhoo, hope it gets fixed as it is kind of annoying and a bit shady.

Have a nice day.

[teknojo]

Ah! Chris! I spotted a difference!

After looking at the image I uploaded I noticed that it says "Install now" as opposed to "Update now".

When I went back through my process I found that I originally clicked on this page: https://get3.adobe.com/flashplayer/update/activex/

Which yields an "Update now" button:

If I run through the process of installing with the "Install now" page I only get a flashplayer update.
When I run through the process of installing with the "update now" page I get flashplayer plus Mcafee!

So, that other "get3" site is the issue, though I am unsure why my flashplayer updater directed me there. Unless I am infected with a malware, is possible. I will run a security sweep.

Hope this was helpful,

Tek

[3rdFloor]

I think I figured out the problem after going through it today: the AdBlock extension blocks the center frame of the update page because it identifies it as an ad. If you can't see it, you can't opt out of it.

[highbeach]

I would love to send Adobe an invoice too. It is unbeliveable that Adobe can get away this.   

[spartaman1]

I have to agree with the OP. It is now 1/20/2014 and this is still an issue. I get a big popup upon my latest computer restart stating to update Flash player to 12. If you hit the download button it pulls up the site and says step 2 of 3. Download player from the link and run it. So I do that and it a downloader appears with 2 bars, the top bar shows multipul files downloading, the botton very CLEARLY states, Mcafee Security Essentials blah blah whatever. Installation pending. So I stopped the download and made an account on adobe just to write this. I DO NOT WANT Mcafee and resent the fact that it tried to install it without MY PERMISSION. IT did NOT ask me to install it, I did NOT miss anything. IT TRIED TO INSTALL THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE TO MY PC WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!

Would like to add that I dont use adblock or anything that would prevent being shown an opt out screen. This was done through the actual adobe flash updater. It linked to the site with a click here to download button, NOTHING MORE. If there were a opt out box, it was not anywhere in this process. Perhaps it might have been at this STEP 1, but that step is left out as the popup on the desktop puts you right at step 2 with the link.

After some digging, you cannot use the update popup to update. You have to close the popup, go to the site, manually download it and you can then as shown above, opt out. If you allow it to auto update or use the popup notification to update, then it WILL install Mcafee. Most people will use the autoupdate or the popup and will not see the MCafee garbage install. So now Adobe, like all these other POS companies is auto enrolling you in crapware as well. You know, I have seen some sites that require YOU to check the box to get the third party stuff, not have YOU UNCHECK the box like is now so common. I am tired of having to fix my parents computer because they dont understand nor believe that these programs require you to hunt for little checkboxes to prevent the unwanted programs. Today I have to UNINSTALL MCAFEE AGAIN because yet ANOTHER program autocheckboxed to have it install with the program my father was installing. *sigh*

[HawgWyld]

Uh, yeah. Flash Player still slaps that McAfee junk on my system whenever I update. Come on, Adobe. No one wants this junk. I don't care one whit about opting out or anything else -- I want Flash, but I don't want McAfee and hate the idea of getting junk software as part of a normal update.

At least Adobe isn't trying to pawn off that awful Conduit toolbar on us, but an unwanted McAfee install is still annoying.

Fix this. Please.

[bmiddlebrook]

Most certainly I did not have this screen option.  When I did the upgrade I carefully look for these types of options.  The Adobe UPGRADE that I just did January 2014 did not (repeat did not) provide any options such as what is shown here.

Barry

[Guest]

Regarding Adobe Updates.

My procedure, wait until there is a popup on the screen indicating Adobe Update Required. I do not go looking for problems (updates).

I check my installed programs to make sure McAfee has not crept onto my PC already and then I then open MS Word and take a screen shot of the Adobe notification and then click to allow the update to proceed.

At each successive screen I take a screenshot and put it into word.

To date- (after my initial problem -post 20) the op-out box has always been presented - I opt-out, take a screenshot then allow it to proceed taking screenshots at every step, file name etc etc everything

At the end of the process when the update is complete I open the installed programs and look for McAfee crapware again too confirm it is still not there.

So far since I have followed this procedure I have always remain McAfee free.

This was however not the case in my earlier contributions to this thread (see post 20)

I hope to catch this rogue download procedure and am virtually wasting portions of my life because of Adobe'e refusal to allow people to opt-in if they wish.

I wish I could catch the Adobe update misbehaving to be able to finish this thread once and all.

[cinergy7]

I was just trying to read a new article, it said I needed the newest Adobe to read it, I downloaded it and I got a free version of McAfee with no ability to opt out. The places that are giving us the link are to blame if they are not updating the link. I have been baffled how I could get McAfee without ever downloading it, and I finally found out today. Hopefully, Adobe can help get these sites to redirect to the correct and most up to date software.

[chris.campbell]

If you can give me an example of a site that does this, or an application that prompts for you to update and then causes this to happen, I'll look into it asap.

[Ritergeek]

Can you give us a hint when Flash will issue another update? It's been a couple of weeks, and it seems to happen often, so maybe not too long ...?

[Ritergeek]

Here is an excerpt from the Adobe Flash help page:

Are there security issues with downloading Flash Player?

While there is always risk when you view websites and download information on the web, Adobe has taken extensive steps to virtually eliminate this risk when downloading the update from Adobe.com. The Flash Player update is downloaded over a secure connection, and Adobe thoroughly checks each update to help ensure it is safe for customers to download before it is posted. In addition, the auto-update mechanism only allows the update to be downloaded from Adobe.com.

In some cases, the new version of Flash Player that you are downloading includes enhancements that give your computer additional protection when browsing the web.

In my book that as much as admits that you may be forcing it on us. It says nothing about opting out... What is the official Adobe spin control on this?

[Ritergeek]

This official Adobe statement supports what I said about auto-updates coming to my computer FROM ADOBE. We don't need to give you links. You should have them.

Please check the facts. I'm willing to believe that your employer may not be dealing you all the cards in the deck or giving you straight, unvarnished Truth, but that's all I want to hear. Enough of the corporate innocence act.