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Flash Player Auto Update Daemon

I just received this popup on my desktop. I do not have Flah Player downloaded on my computer. Does anyone have advice about this popup?

See attached image

Posted on Mar 25, 2019 7:40 PM

Reply
Question marked as Apple recommended

While you may not have the Adobe Flash Player app, or web browser plugin installed NOW, did you ever have it installed in the past?


If so, it is quite possible that you did not properly uninstall it using Adobe's uninstaller app. If that is the case, you may still have parts of it installed on your machine.


That window you are seeing does not result from adware or malware. It is in fact generated by macOS, and it is Apple telling you that you have a 32-bit app on your machine which will bite the dust when 10.15 is released.


The fact that it is described as a daemon suggests that you should look in three places on your Mac:


/Library/LaunchAgents

/Library/LaunchDaemons

~/Library/LaunchAgents


In fact, you can verify whether or not any 32-bit part of Adobe Flash Player is still installed on your machine by doing the following:


  1. Hold down the Option key and under the "Apple" menu, click on "System Information".
  2. When that window opens on your screen, scroll down to "Software" in the left column.
  3. Under the "Software" section, click on both the "Applications" label and then the "Legacy Software" label.
  4. Examine both sections carefully by scrolling and selecting to see related info in the lower half of the window.
  5. 32-bit apps will be specifically listed under the "Legacy Software" section.
  6. Also, under the Applications" section, it will also specifically tell you if an app is 64-bit with a "yes" or "no" next to it.


UPDATE: Ha! This is the sucker you should be looking for:


com.adobe.fpsaud.plist


If you have it on your machine, you will find it in your main Library; NOT in your Home library:


/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.fpsaud.plist


Following is some additional info for your consideration:


----- Begin Quote -----


To tackle this and work to keep most people keep up-to-date with Flash, Adobe has implemented this new background-updating feature. When you download and install Flash 11.3, the installer will offer you to have Flash automatically update, only notify you of available updates, or never check for updates. If you choose the option to updates automatically, Flash will check for updates on a daily basis and install them in the background. The update behavior options can be changed in the Flash Player system preferences pane.


When installed, the updater will request that you choose from the 3 autoupdate options. By default it will have Flash automatically download and install the latest version.


The automatic updating works by using a launch daemon called "com.adobe.fpsaud.plist" located in the /Library/LaunchDaemons/ folder. This causes the system launcher (launchd) to open a small program called "fpsaud" (likely standing for Flash Player Silent Auto Updater) which is located within the Adobe Flash install manager utility. When fpsaud opens it will check the current version and the available version for the presence of an updated Flash player version, and will then install it if needed. The installation of the new version is silent, so users will not be prompted to download, and will instead be automatically updated to the latest version.


----- End Quote -----


I hope the above helps.

Posted on Mar 29, 2019 5:41 AM

3 replies

Mar 25, 2019 10:27 PM in response to ecatschulz

Probably a form of adware or malware may cause this to display.

The macOS does not ask for nor demand adobe flash player.


{I've not used 'flash player' since Mac OS X 10.5.8; even now

that (Leopard) does not need flash for TenFourFox browser.}


However I'm not well advised on how to remove or disable the

behind-scenes cause of the symptom you've experienced...


You could try the instructions below from Apple support; if

you already have 'malwarebytes for mac' from the maker's site

&/or maybe 'etrecheck' ~ these may be helpful to remove this.


There are instructions 'how stop pop-ups in Safari' browser, if

that is what you're using. I'd NOT click the button, in any case.


If your computer is not iMac Pro, it would make sense if you had

much older Mac OS X; the iMac Pro is relatively new ~ no Flash

would have been installed by accident, unless recently received.


How to block pop-ups in Safari - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203987




Question marked as Apple recommended

Mar 29, 2019 5:41 AM in response to ecatschulz

While you may not have the Adobe Flash Player app, or web browser plugin installed NOW, did you ever have it installed in the past?


If so, it is quite possible that you did not properly uninstall it using Adobe's uninstaller app. If that is the case, you may still have parts of it installed on your machine.


That window you are seeing does not result from adware or malware. It is in fact generated by macOS, and it is Apple telling you that you have a 32-bit app on your machine which will bite the dust when 10.15 is released.


The fact that it is described as a daemon suggests that you should look in three places on your Mac:


/Library/LaunchAgents

/Library/LaunchDaemons

~/Library/LaunchAgents


In fact, you can verify whether or not any 32-bit part of Adobe Flash Player is still installed on your machine by doing the following:


  1. Hold down the Option key and under the "Apple" menu, click on "System Information".
  2. When that window opens on your screen, scroll down to "Software" in the left column.
  3. Under the "Software" section, click on both the "Applications" label and then the "Legacy Software" label.
  4. Examine both sections carefully by scrolling and selecting to see related info in the lower half of the window.
  5. 32-bit apps will be specifically listed under the "Legacy Software" section.
  6. Also, under the Applications" section, it will also specifically tell you if an app is 64-bit with a "yes" or "no" next to it.


UPDATE: Ha! This is the sucker you should be looking for:


com.adobe.fpsaud.plist


If you have it on your machine, you will find it in your main Library; NOT in your Home library:


/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.adobe.fpsaud.plist


Following is some additional info for your consideration:


----- Begin Quote -----


To tackle this and work to keep most people keep up-to-date with Flash, Adobe has implemented this new background-updating feature. When you download and install Flash 11.3, the installer will offer you to have Flash automatically update, only notify you of available updates, or never check for updates. If you choose the option to updates automatically, Flash will check for updates on a daily basis and install them in the background. The update behavior options can be changed in the Flash Player system preferences pane.


When installed, the updater will request that you choose from the 3 autoupdate options. By default it will have Flash automatically download and install the latest version.


The automatic updating works by using a launch daemon called "com.adobe.fpsaud.plist" located in the /Library/LaunchDaemons/ folder. This causes the system launcher (launchd) to open a small program called "fpsaud" (likely standing for Flash Player Silent Auto Updater) which is located within the Adobe Flash install manager utility. When fpsaud opens it will check the current version and the available version for the presence of an updated Flash player version, and will then install it if needed. The installation of the new version is silent, so users will not be prompted to download, and will instead be automatically updated to the latest version.


----- End Quote -----


I hope the above helps.

Flash Player Auto Update Daemon

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