Adobe Flash Player

Otter2020
Otter2020 ✭✭
edited November 2020 in Vulnerability

Why does my Bitdefender Vulnerability Scan keep having an update for Adobe Flash player for Internet Explorer keep popping up within the last week (starting in early November 2020)? I don't have Adobe Flash Player or Internet Explorer on my computer as far as I can find.

Thanks!

Comments

  • Flexx
    Flexx DEFENDER OF THE YEAR 2023 / DEFENDER OF THE MONTH ✭✭✭✭✭ mod

    Hi Member,

    As far as Internet Explorer is concerned, it is presently available on all Windows 10, but not shown on the desktop. If you will open the drive where windows is installed and go to program files and open it, the internet explorer folder will still be present there. The adobe flash in internet explorer on windows 10 is automatically updated through windows update and currently there is no way to stop it.

    Secondly, if you are using google chrome or any other browser that uses google chrome engine like microsoft edge chromium, comodo dragon, uc browser, opera, vivaldi, brave etc you will still be using adobe flash since it is inbuilt in the google chrome engine. Same goes for firefox also.

    And since there might be an update to the adobe flash (for firefox/ google chrome), hence bitdefender is showing the update for adobe flash.

    NOTE : Adobe will be totally discontinuing flash player at the end of december 2020.

    Regards

    Flex

    (Bitdefender beta tester 2019/ 2020)

    Life happens, Coffee helps!

    Show your Attitude, when you reach that Altitude!

    Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (user)

  • Otter2020
    Otter2020 ✭✭
    edited November 2020

    Flex,

    Thanks for the great info. Yes, I knew Adobe Flash was being discontinued at the end of this year and since this is the first time I have ever seen Bitdefender have it pop up in the vulnerability scan I was suspicious. I can't get it to go away and it pops up everyday now. The first time I saw it when I tried to update it it wanted me to download a zip file of some kind which I didn't do.

    PS...There was an update for Google Chrome when I went to look just now...Thanks again!

  • kliebor
    kliebor
    edited November 2020

    Oh by the way, Bitdefender pops the alert even for those of us that have uninstalled Internet Explorer from the windows features menu so I know it is some sort of bug. I do not have any internet explorer code at all. May be a windows bug, but for some reason it is showing up in the list, then when I click it, I get the expected, this code is not needed on this computer message when I click to install.

    I will also note Windows update does not show it when I check for updates, so I am inclined toward the thinking it is Bitdefender's problem, not Windows.

  • Flexx
    Flexx DEFENDER OF THE YEAR 2023 / DEFENDER OF THE MONTH ✭✭✭✭✭ mod

    Then it might be a case with your other browser flash player.

    Like I said earlier :

    If you are using google chrome or any other browser that uses google chrome engine like microsoft edge chromium, comodo dragon, uc browser, opera, vivaldi, brave etc you will still be using adobe flash since it is inbuilt in the google chrome engine. Same goes for firefox also.

    Additionally may I know how you uninstalled the internet explorer, since as far as I know, you can only disable it not uninstall it through windows feature option in control panel.

    Also using powershell command, you can only disable it not uninstall it.

    Can you just share a screenshot of the exact thing bitdefender pops up.

    Regards

    Flex

    Life happens, Coffee helps!

    Show your Attitude, when you reach that Altitude!

    Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (user)

  • Thanks to both of you for all the extra info. I am just not going to do anything about it and hope it updates itself or goes away. There was another update yesterday for Windows for which I had to restart my computer and it didn't make the Flash Player for IE go away. I am not going to do anything as it says the current version has no vulnerabilities and it will hopefully go away on its own. 🙃

    Regards,

    Rhonda

  • Hi!

    If I may join the discussion: The Bitdefender message is at best useless, at least for my two Windows 10 (20H2) installations. Unfortunately, I cannot enclose screenshots as "Request failed with status code 400". So yes, Bitfender asks me to update "Adobe Flash for Internet Explorer" and tells me that I have version 32.0.0.387 installed (which is not true). So I clicked the button to download the new version. Download works, but it downloads a file named "windows8.1-kb4048951-x86_5b6e65493b9c9d93102ac71730d5b710e78ecfa2". The name suggests that this is for Windows 8.1, not 10. And yes, the installation ends with an error message that the update is not made for your computer. So to me this seems to be a Bitdefender problem or rather two problems, i. e. invalid update message and wrong (not for Windows 10) link.

    Just for completeness: If I switch off Windows and Application updates for the check this does not change the result. Looks like this is again a Bitdefender problem. And finally I installed the latest version of Adobe Flash to get rid of the Bitdefender message. But this does not change the result of the Bitdefender scan.

    Regards,

    Gabi

  • Hi

    I've had the same problem with Adobe Flash for I.E. on Windows 10, kept downloading updates for Win 8.1. I've solved this by running a download from Microsoft Update Catalog (Catalogue) . There is an Adobe Flash Kill Update that uninstalls the program before the December 2020 End of Life. When on the Microsoft Update Catalog use the search box for Adobe Flash Removal. Two pages of updates are shown, pick your system version and Download. ( I ran KB4577586 for Windows 10 Version 2004 on x64 system). So no more Adobe Flash for Internet Explorer and no updates for Win 8.1 on a Windows 10 PC.

    Hope this solves your problem,

    Regards to all,

    Kenbar.

  • Hi,

    Thanks for the additional information Gabi and Kenbar!


    Rhonda☺️

  • Hi.

    Thank you, Kenbar and mjb49. Good hints! But:

    I downloaded windows10.0-kb4577586-x64_ec16e118cd8b99df185402c7a0c65a31e031a6f0 which is marked to be good for version 1903 and later. But again the execution stops with the error message that this update is not for my computer. Maybe version 20H2 is too new?

    And againI tried to use Adobe's Flash Removal Tool. This uninstalls only Adobe specific installations and - unfortunately - runs without error or message even if it has nothing removed.

    Still no success to get rid of the Bitdefender message, even if I deactivate scans for Application and Windows updates. Looks like Bitdefender somewhere stored the results and insists to have the update. Even deleting Bitdefender and installing again brought the message back.

    Just for completeness: Yes, I find lots of files related to Flash on the PC. If I simply delete them all (after taking ownership and administrator rights) I find - no surprise - that the integrity of Windows is spoiled - and Bitdfender still wants the Flash update. So I restored Windows and I am back to square one.

    Regards to all fellow sufferers and supporting experts,

    Gabi

  • Hi Gabi,

    I checked the windows10.0-kb4577586-x64_ec16e118cd8b99df185402c7a0c65a31e031a6f0 download from the Microsoft Update Catalog (Catalogue) which I think is next to the last one on Page 1, try the 3rd one down on Page 2 for Windows 10 version 2004 for x64 base systems. Keeping fingers crossed for you.

    Good luck and best regards

    Kenbar

  • Hi Kenbar,

    you are great! Thank you!

    The file windows10.0-kb4577586-x64_c9bb49df325c20ddc147137b3f769fa44d800dde works very well for my Windows 10, 20H4. And Bitdefender does not want the wrong update to be installed any more. (Fortunately, I did not use Flash before. So the removal was even better than a last update for a discontinued product.)

    I must admit that I stopped at the end of page 1 of the Microsoft Update Catalog for 4577586-Updates as this seemed to be sufficient ('version 1903 and later' was too suggestive). So sometimes I am unable to do the most simple things, i. e. continue to the next page. Very sorry, eating humble pie!

    Best regards,

    Gabi

  • Hi Gabi,

    Can I have a slice of your humble pie too!

    Did the same as you for a few attempts. The Page#2 is not actually flashing in bright lights. Maybe, this is Bitdefender's problem in that the update software is downloading only from Page#1. Glad I could help.

    kind regards,

    Kenbar

  • same issue. how can I hide this bit defender notification? its very annoying.

  • Hi CooloutAC

    Are you enquiring about the Adobe Flash update for Windows 10? If so, you can follow a comment I gave to Gabi concerning a download from the Microsoft Update Catalog (Catalogue), I ran KB4577586 for Windows 10 Version 2004 on x64 system. Choose your Window 10 system from the list (TWO PAGES) and run the download. This should stop Bitdefender from trying to update a Windows 10 machine with win 8.1 updates. It will also stop Adobe Flash from operating before the December End Of Life timeline.

    Hope this is a help for you.

    Kind regards,

    Kenbar

  • Kenbar,

    I see the same instances on page 2 and 3 of the list but none for Version 2004...Only for 1607 on both the second and third page. Also Version 1809 on the third page.

    Thanks,

    Rhonda

  • Actually Bitdefender is aware of this issue and it seems they are working on a fix?



  • Hi Rhonda,

    At the very beginning you asked " Why does my Bitdefender Vulnerability Scan keep having an update for Adobe Flash player for Internet Explorer keep popping up", my answer to your question is that Bitdefender is downloading the wrong Microsoft Update for our Windows 10 PC. I manually ran Microsoft Update KB4577586 for Windows 10 Version 2004 on x64 system which worked. These updates are all about the removal of Adobe Flash before its December End of Life timeline. If you would like to follow my suggestions below they a based on a Windows 10 Home x-64bit running software Version 2004 or 20H2. Other version are available. Firstly, we need to start from the same start point.

    Step 1. Using your usual search provider, search the web for www.catalog.update.microsoft.com

    Step 2. On the Microsoft page find the search box and key in Adobe Flash Removal followed by <return key>.

    This should display Page 1 of 2 pages of updates. To find the update for Windows 10 Version 2004 we need to move to Page 2.

    Step 3. On Page 2 the required update is on the 3rd line. It should show Update for removal of Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 2004 for x64-based system (KB4577586). Now just click on the Download button and activate the blue text update.

    Step 4. Open Windows Update Standalone Installer. If every thing falls into place, that's it. All done!

    If your Windows 10 system is configured differently, just look at Step 3 for a suitable update. Please let us know how you go on with this answer. If you had not asked your question, we would all still be getting Bitdefender Vulnerability Scan error messages.

    Kind regards,

    Kenbar


  • Hi itsParham,

    Thank you for your update on Bitdefender 's fix.

    Kind regards,

    Kenbar

  • Flexx
    Flexx DEFENDER OF THE YEAR 2023 / DEFENDER OF THE MONTH ✭✭✭✭✭ mod

    Hi Member,

    Currently the latest version of windows 10 is 20H2 and there is currently no known microsoft rolled out adobe flash uninstaller for it on the stated microsoft update catalog. The last uninstaller available is for windows 10 version 1909. While v1909 uninstaller should work for v20H2 but it is recommended to always use the uninstaller that is build for a specific version. This means currently one should wait for the availability of adobe flash uninstaller for v20H2.

    Regards

    Flex

    (Bitdefender beta tester 2019/ 2020)

    Life happens, Coffee helps!

    Show your Attitude, when you reach that Altitude!

    Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (user)

  • Says not applicable to my system, just like bitdefender always says. I have windows version 19041. I downloaded the uninstaller for x64 1903 and later, 2nd to last on the page as you suggested. what else can I try, this is starting to get frustrating.

  • Otter2020
    Otter2020 ✭✭
    edited November 2020

    Thanks ItsParham, Flex, Kenbar, and others. I was just going to wait for it to go away anyway. I just downloaded the windows 10 20H2 update also. It is nice to know it is a Bitdefender problem and they are working on fixing it so I don't have to look at it everyday when I look for updates...

    Have a great day everyone!

    Rhonda

  • I've got Windows 10 20H2 installed on my desktop & experiencing the same issue with Adobe Flash Player for I.E. update required according to Bitdefender. Talking about catalogues, I've put it down in my catalogue of Bitdefender issues I've got going. Looking forward to getting that removed. And...while your at it, please do the same for the annoying "We have your back" work profile notification.....pretty please with cherries on top....lol.

  • I had bitdefender vuln scan pop up saying my adobe flash player for internet explorer is not the latest version (risk - LOW). It says my version installed (presumably also internet explorer) is 32.0.0.387.

    When i checked it on my internet explorer with the "Check Now" button in url https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player.html, it reports version 32.0.0.445.

    Coupled with the news that adobe flash is disappearing (largely) soon, i'm not sure if i should ignore this issue (probably yes).

  • i did this for version 1903 and 2004, it depends on when a person started with adobe flash player. once the catalog has the correct one bitdefender message is gone.

  • Finally, Bitdefender solved this problem today, or was it yesterday...Well, it is solved! They had an update that also required a restart and it is finally gone....Yay!