Hotmail ad is causing Adobe Flash Player error (REVISED)

Report · Jul 07, 2011

Hi,

This is an updated version of my question (see original question posted here: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/874194)

I'm now using Internet Explorer 9.0.8112.16421 (32-bit edition) on a 64-bit Windows 7 machine and using Adobe Flash Player 10.3.181.34.

In my original question, I was receiving the following error. I am still receiving the following error. Whenever I check my e-mail on Hotmail, I get the following error:

Here are some problems:

1. When I click on "SETTINGS," the dialogue box closes, nothing else happens, and the problem doesn't go away, even after I restart the browser.

2. I also tried using the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer and Adobe Flash Player Square (beta) and received the same error.

3. The problem appears to be caused by a sidebar ad on the Hotmail home page.

4. I must use Hotmail.

5. I must use Internet Explorer for various reasons.

I would like to not have this error box pop up all the time.

Any suggestions?

Report · Jul 07, 2011

Hi, I use Hotmail and have not received that from Flash Player. I am familiar with the warning however, just not with Hotmail. Evidently there must be a problem with that ad site that's referenced, malware/bad code, etc. I would contact Hotmail and let them know. You may want to do a little research on that URL also.

You could try putting that ad site(URL) into the Restricted Zone. Whether that would eliminate the FP warning, I don't know. It won't remove the ad, only Hotmail can do that. I'd try that. It could be that is just one particular ad that may trigger the warning.

Thanks,

eidnolb

Report · Jul 07, 2011

eidnolb,

thanks for your reply. i put the ad's URL into the restricted zone in IE, but it didn't solve the problem.

i appreciate your suggestion that i should contact hotmail and tell them about the conflict, but i actually have no idea how to "contact hotmail" and tell them, and i am not sure i can get their attention.

i wish that i could solve this problem using adobe flash player. isn't there a way to tell flash player to not display this warning. and this is the larger question: when i click "SETTINGS" in the flash player error dialogue box as i described, nothing happens. is this a bug or problem with flash player?

Report · Jul 07, 2011

Hi, I wasn't sure if that would make a difference or not. I'll see if I can find the Hotmail contact info for you.

Actually, I wouldn't want to prohibit Flash Player from putting this warning up. There is a reason and it is for your Security. As far as that Setting not working, that in my opinion is a good thing. Re-read what that Setting does. Why would that URL/ad site need to communicate with the Internet? For what purpose? Trojans like to communicate with the Internet too:-)

You nor I have no idea what this site is all about or even up to. I'd be very careful with this until I knew more about it.

I would run a full scan with your Anti-Virus and then I would report this URL and the circumstances to them.

My problem is that this URL was flagged and that it wants to communicate with the Internet. Now I've seen hundreds of ads and have not received anything like that message with that wording.

Let me know and I'll get back to you with some Hotmail info.

Thanks,

eidnolb

Report · Jul 07, 2011

thanks, eidnolb.

the ad appers to be an "official" microsoft/hotmail ad. here is the screen shot. (in real life, it is an animated, flash ad):

if you can get me some contact info for hotmail, that would be excellent.

i take your point about whether or not it's a good idea to supress error messages in general, but my question is: why does the flash player error dialogue box offer the "SETTINGS" option at all, but when i click on it, nothing happens...?

Report · Jul 07, 2011

Hi, Yes I think most of the ads on Hotmail are fine. I'm more security minded maybe, dealing with it here on the Forum and elsewhere. Even here on the Forum, I clicked on a link from a user and my Anti-Virus prevented a Trojan from being downloaded onto my PC.

I don't know why the Settings button is not working. The reason it's there is because contrary to some opinion, Adobe Flash Player does not really want to rule your computer:-) It's there to give you a choice. The warning is given & the user chooses to allow or deny, same thing some Firewall programs do. I personally hated that constant popup, Ha-Ha.

I do hope you find something out.

If I think of anything else on this, I'll let you know. Sort of limited for time this afternoon.

Thanks,

eidnolb

Report · Jul 07, 2011

OK, here's the workaround I found:

To fix the pop-up security error:

1. Google "Adobe Flash Player Global Security Settings Panel". Here is the link I found:

http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager04.html#117502

2. Select "Always allow" from the settings panel.

3. Close the browser and re-start it.

This may not be an ideal solution, but it has been extremely painful to have to close literally dozens -- if not a hundred -- error boxes that kept popping up every day while I check my e-mail.

Report · Jul 07, 2011

Hi, You may want to use the "always ask". That way you would at least know what site is wanting access. I've never experienced that warning ever. I've dealt with a couple of other threads that received a warning similar, but the websites wanting access were suspect.

As long as you've read and understood what is being allowed and are comfortable with that is the main thing.

Thanks for the update. I'd still ask Hotmail why one of their ads want access to the Internet from my system:-)

eidnolb

Report · Jul 07, 2011

Hi, At this site, page down to Display of Advertising and then to How to contact us.

http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/fullnotice.mspx#display

I would contact Hotmail first, since they can refer your post to the proper department from what I've seen.

The other info is just if you want to research.

Hope that helps,

eidnolb