Malware?! "assistive technology like a screen reader"

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Level 1

44 points

Malware?! "assistive technology like a screen reader"

I'm running OS Catalina on a MacBook Air onto which I have installed the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. When I double-click on a PDF document, a box pops up entitled "Reading Untagged Document with Assistive Technology" that tells me that "assistive technology like a screen reader may be running..." It goes on to say the document must be prepared for reading with assist technology. This concerns me and I always click on cancel and I can read the document. Should I be concerned? Is there something on my Mac that could be allowing others to read what I have open on my screen? I have the option of clicking a box to not show this dialog again, but have been reluctant to do this.

MacBook

Posted on May 20, 2020 9:54 AM

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Answer 1

May 20, 2020 11:55 AM in response to Lownote

Checked with Adobe Support? They have a local privilege escalation security bug in Reader recently reported, so there’s a patch arriving soon, if it’s not already available. And if the security patch has shipped and installed here, the patch may well have introduced a bug. Adobe has a history of security vulnerabilities around Flash and ColdFusion, too.

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Answer 2

Lownote Author

Level 1

44 points

May 20, 2020 1:51 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thank you for the suggestion. This problem is actually on my wife's computer and I was concerned that someone could grab doc's off of it. I feel comfortable now that it is still secure.

I had her Open With Preview and the Dialog box didn't jump up. She is going to delete the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, download the latest and see if that changes the problem. If not she could always live with Preview although I'm not sure it will give her the capability she needs which is to make notes on a doc and then send it back to the author. Thanks to you and Mr. Hoffman below for your help.

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Answer 3

May 20, 2020 11:21 AM in response to Lownote

This could be something specific to Adobe Reader.

If you control-click the same pdf file, and choose Open With->Preview, does it show the same alert?

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Answer 4

May 20, 2020 10:49 AM in response to Lownote

Go to System Preferences->Accessibility and make sure that VoiceOver is turned off.

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Answer 5

Lownote Author

Level 1

44 points

May 20, 2020 10:57 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks. Had already checked that and it's turned off.

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Answer 6

May 20, 2020 1:59 PM in response to Lownote

I write notes on pdf files every day, using Preview. You can annotate using text, can select text and highlight, strikethrough, or underline; draw arrows, rectangles...

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Answer 7

Lownote Author

Level 1

44 points

May 20, 2020 2:37 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks--she is going to give it a try. As will I.

Cheers,

Lownote

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Malware?! "assistive technology like a screen reader"

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