Are these apps reading our passwords?

[Silly John Fatty]

(moved from other forum)

I wanted to install Adobe Acrobat. Downloaded the .dmg from the official website, I mounted the volume and inside was the installer ("Acrobat Installer.app").

So I open it up and there comes an install window, and then when I press continue, this appears:

It's in German and basically it's saying "Acrobat Installer would like to make changes". Below that was my first and last name as saved in my Mac account.

I thought it looked weird, because the window that usually asks me for my password (when it is my Mac that asks for it), looks a little bit different. Of course there's the Acrobat Installer logo, but the thing is that touch ID doesn't work/exist here. Touch ID is always present when my Mac asks me for my password.

This is what made me realize that this isn't my Mac asking for my password, but the Acrobat Installer. It's obvious now that I look at it, but at the same time it isn't that obvious when you're in a hurry and doing things.

And then something else confirmed this for me: When I closed that window and tried to quit the installer, a message popped up asking why I was canceling the installation. And the first option was "I don't want to grant administrator permission".

So are these apps that ask for our password like this actually reading our passwords? I understand that they it to install files and such things, but I'd think it would be our Mac that would ask for this, not the app. That's what confuses me. I'd rather have Acrobat ask my Mac, my Mac ask me, and me say okay, and my Mac do what it needs to do (and only this).

But maybe that's what it is? What do you guys think?

 

[mmkerc]

Sounds very odd. I would delete the download altogether, run your virus scan, or Malwarebytes then try to redownload from Adobe US site (type in the address, don't click a link).

Installers will ask for you system password to install, however I have never had one as why I cancelled an install.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

Sounds very odd. I would delete the download altogether, run your virus scan, or Malwarebytes then try to redownload from Adobe US site (type in the address, don't click a link).

Installers will ask for you system password to install, however I have never had one as why I cancelled an install.

I will re-download it, but I think it’s legit, I believe it’s just how this Adobe app works. I downloaded it from the official Adobe website.

When you look at their apps in the mobile App Store, they collect a ton of data about the users. It’s just the company politics I guess.

I don’t like their style too much when it comes to this.

But I believe it correlates with the fact they’re asking me my system password. They also don’t offer their apps in the Mac App Store, which they could easily do as a big company and which would make things safer.

 

[mmkerc]

Not sure where you are located, and I assumed US or English speaking country (little biases always sneak in). That said if you meant to download the German version, while still odd behavior from my experiences with previous Adobe downloads I defer to you on it being legit.

Adobe and Apple have a long complex relationship in part due to the Adobe Flash issue which is why I believe Adobe does not offer its software in Apple App Store.

Harvesting of data is not unique to Adobe, and is one of Apple's key areas of focus (prevent unwanted harvesting).

 

[Silly John Fatty]

Not sure where you are located, and I assumed US or English speaking country (little biases always sneak in). That said if you meant to download the German version, while still odd behavior from my experiences with previous Adobe downloads I defer to you on it being legit.

Adobe and Apple have a long complex relationship in part due to the Adobe Flash issue which is why I believe Adobe does not offer its software in Apple App Store.

Harvesting of data is not unique to Adobe, and is one of Apple's key areas of focus (prevent unwanted harvesting).

I wanted to get the german version in fact! I re-downloaded it and it is the same thing. So it is definitely legit, but I think it's kind of shady.

And like you say, there used to be issues with Adobe Flash, and it was a popular loophole for all kinds of nasty stuff. So I'm not sure how "clean" Adobe really is, although they are very well known for applications like PhotoShop.

What I wonder - since it is not my Mac, but rather Adobe Installer who is asking for my system password - wether Adobe will have my Macs password or not. What I also wonder is if, after installation, there is some way to take back the rights you granted to that installer or application.

I don't want to dirty my new Mac with too many things, and this sadly doesn't look that clean to me.

 

[mmkerc]

I wanted to get the german version in fact! I re-downloaded it and it is the same thing. So it is definitely legit, but I think it's kind of shady.

And like you say, there used to be issues with Adobe Flash, and it was a popular loophole for all kinds of nasty stuff. So I'm not sure how "clean" Adobe really is, although they are very well known for applications like PhotoShop.

What I wonder - since it is not my Mac, but rather Adobe Installer who is asking for my system password - wether Adobe will have my Macs password or not. What I also wonder is if, after installation, there is some way to take back the rights you granted to that installer or application.

I don't want to dirty my new Mac with too many things, and this sadly doesn't look that clean to me.

Interesting question, but I do not believe (with legit) installers your password leaves the system. I also do not believe the installer app retains your password. This is based on having to reinstall the same application twice on the same computer after replacing the original hard drive ( I kept the installer app on my hard drive).

I use to use the full Adobe suite of products and never had issues, they just got too expensive for me. I still think Adobe is a very good company with excellent products, just more geared for professional users, an not casual users like me.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

I use to use the full Adobe suite of products and never had issues, they just got too expensive for me. I still think Adobe is a very good company with excellent products, just more geared for professional users, an not casual users like me.

They are expensive in fact. But if you contact customer service, they can make you an offer. They offered me Acrobat Pro for almost ⅓ of the original price, when I told them it was too expensive for me. So you need to try and go this way, but stay subtle. They made this offer to me without me asking for it.

Interesting question, but I do not believe (with legit) installers your password leaves the system. I also do not believe the installer app retains your password. This is based on having to reinstall the same application twice on the same computer after replacing the original hard drive ( I kept the installer app on my hard drive).

I also don't believe they are getting your password, but I do think that technically it may be possible, since it isn't the Mac asking for the password to do something, but Adobe's application. So it gets your password, and then we believe it doesn't do anything with it other than install its files, but realistically, this application isn't open source and we don't know what exactly it does in the background. It could be doing all kinds of stuff. Or maybe secret services like NSA cooperate with such big software manufacturers to infiltrate people's devices. It's exaggerated of course, but then again, it even isn't really.

 

[mmkerc]

I also don't believe they are getting your password, but I do think that technically it may be possible, since it isn't the Mac asking for the password to do something, but Adobe's application. So it gets your password, and then we believe it doesn't do anything with it other than install its files, but realistically, this application isn't open source and we don't know what exactly it does in the background. It could be doing all kinds of stuff. Or maybe secret services like NSA cooperate with such big software manufacturers to infiltrate people's devices. It's exaggerated of course, but then again, it even isn't really.

I know this used to be possible, but Apple has implemented many security protocols to stop this. Unfortunately nothing is 100% except certainty of death 😀.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

I know this used to be possible, but Apple has implemented many security protocols to stop this. Unfortunately nothing is 100% except certainty of death 😀.

I am relieved if you say this. I certainly don't want some company like Adobe to have my Mac password.

 

[Saturn007]

What does Adobe say about all this?

It could be good to request their input — and get something in writing from them about their practices.

You could also contact Apple and ask whether this is a sanctioned approach and how to prevent the password from being gathered.