Cannot delete Adobe Acrobat Updater

Question

Cannot delete Adobe Acrobat Updater

Hi there,

I keep getting Adobe Acrobat Updater pop-ups every few hours in my dock on an Apple M1 machine running High Sierra.

I have tried deleting all Adobe files in Library (preferences, caches, application support) and it keeps coming back. Have no idea what's causing it.

I tried installing Acrobat Reader from their official site and this pop-up still comes up despite me having the up to date version. Seems like malware/adware, whatever you want to call it.

The offending files that keep appearing are 'com.adobe.ARMDCHelper' and 'com.adobe.ARMDC.ARM'

I have run malware bytes and it says my machine is clean. Bitdefender has found a few adware files in my chrome downloads, but I can't locate them in finder; my downloads folder is empty.

Any ideas?

Posted on Sep 13, 2021 5:00 AM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 14, 2021 8:39 AM in response to dobermansilly

Ok my friend...

Get Find Any File...

http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/index.php

Hold Option or alt key when selecting Find to Find All.

Find>Name>Contains>com.adobe.ARMDCHelper

Can delete these right from FaF, then...

Find>Name>Contains>com.adobe.ARMDC.ARM

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Answer 2

Sep 15, 2021 2:51 PM in response to BDAqua

To anyone with this issue, what worked was using Find any File and deleting the Adobe **** from the 'private' folder. Thanks BDAqua, and the other guy of course.

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Answer 3

Owl-53

Level 10

102,439 points

Sep 14, 2021 4:28 AM in response to dobermansilly

There are many Old and Out Dated plug-in and Applications that need to be either Remove or updated to current Big Sur versions.

Internet Plug-ins:

Silverlight: 5.1.50901.0 (? - installed 2017-06-11)

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: 17.012.20098 (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2021-06-26)

AdobePDFViewer: 21.005.20058 (Adobe Systems, Inc. - installed 2021-06-26)

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: 3.0.0.126 (? - installed 2012-09-29)

JavaAppletPlugin: Java 8 Update 144 build 01 (? - installed 2017-09-19)

SharePointBrowserPlugin: 14.0.0 (? - installed 2010-08-25)

Audio Plug-ins:

Hear: 1.1.6 (? - installed 2013-11-19)

[Not Loaded] ProtonVPNStarter (ProtonVPN AG - installed 2018-10-12)

Modern Login Item

/Applications/ProtonVPN.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/ProtonVPNStarter.app

/Applications/TunnelBear.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/TunnelBearHelper.app

Commercial VPNs should only be used if Mandated by Corporate Head Office for working remotely. Otherwise - ones Privacy and Security touted by the VPN is suspect.

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Answer 4

Sep 14, 2021 2:54 AM in response to BDAqua

The Adobe launcher is still on the system according to Etrecheck but no sign of it anywhere in the Library folder.

Have deleted those files you recommended, thanks. Now let's burn this Adobe updater to the ground.

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Answer 5

Sep 13, 2021 10:53 AM in response to Owl-53

Hi thanks for your response. Yep, on Big Sur - my mistake.

Here is the Etrecheck report

Etrecheck report

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Answer 6

Owl-53

Level 10

102,439 points

Sep 13, 2021 2:23 PM in response to dobermansilly

Thank you for the Report.

A quick review and see a number of issues including the adobe issue.

Will get back on this shortly.

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Answer 7

Sep 13, 2021 4:44 PM in response to Owl-53

Thank you very much. Really appreciate it. I've enabled automatic updates and done the latest one just now. Have also disabled sharing.

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Answer 8

Sep 14, 2021 10:34 AM in response to BDAqua

Great stuff, found all the pesky buggers and got rid - thank you.

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Answer 9

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 14, 2021 2:29 PM in response to dobermansilly

Sweet, take care my friend! :)

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Answer 10

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 15, 2021 3:26 PM in response to dobermansilly

You're welcome from both of us. :)

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Answer 11

Owl-53

Level 10

102,439 points

Sep 16, 2021 1:25 AM in response to dobermansilly

Ditto of @BDAqua

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Answer 12

Owl-53

Level 10

102,439 points

Sep 13, 2021 6:48 AM in response to dobermansilly

A couple of things

1 - An Apple Computer with the Apple Silicon M1 could never ever run High Sierra.

2 - A M1 Computer would have come pre-installed with Big Sur and nothing older.

3 - " Bitdefender " Are there any AntiVirus, Disk Cleaner, Optimizers, Un-installers, etc installed which should be removed as per Developers Instructions. They are useless, unneeded, cause havoc and interfere with the normal operation of the OS and may even Corrupt the OS requiring a Reinstallation. The Built-in Security of Big Sur is all that is required.

4 - There are no known Viruses in the wild that self replicate and affect macOS. There are Malware and Adware that does affect macOS and are often times downloaded as part of an Application from Third Party UnTrusted Site and get installed along with the Application.

5 - Etrecheck

Suggest downloading the Application Etrecheck directly from a Well Respected ASC Contributor. The application is free or paid from added features. Run the application with Full Disc Access ( Security & Privacy - Full Disc Access ). It will take a Snap Shot - both the hardware and software. The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information. Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last )

We can have a look at the report for possible issues and may have possible suggestions to resolve the issues.

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Answer 13

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 13, 2021 7:35 PM in response to dobermansilly

Is Adobe still a problem?

Not related but another problem...

Delete these files & restart...

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.jdibackup.ZipCloud.notify.plist

~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.jdibackup.ZipCloud.autostart.plist

~ tilde indicates your home folder

Apple hid the Users' Library folders...

Method 1:

1 From the Finder, select the Go menu at top of the screen, and choose Go to Folder.

2 In the window that opens, enter ~/Library, and click Go.

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