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<title>Adobe's Software Is Malware
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Adobe's Software is Malware</h2>

<p><a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Other examples of proprietary
malware</a></p>

<div class="highlight-para">
<p>
<em>Malware</em> means class="infobox">
<hr class="full-width" />
<p>Nonfree (proprietary) software designed is very often malware (designed to function in ways that
mistreat or harm the user.  (This does not include accidental errors.)
This page explains how Adobe software is malware.
</p>

<p>Malware and nonfree software are two different issues.  The
difference between <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free
software</a> and nonfree user). Nonfree software is controlled by its developers,
which puts them in
<a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
whether the users have control of the program or vice versa</a>.  It's
not directly a question position of what power over the program <em>does</em> when it
runs.  However, in practice nonfree software users; <a
href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">that is often malware,
because the developer's awareness
basic injustice</a>. The developers and manufacturers often exercise
that power to the detriment of the users would be powerless they ought to fix
any serve.</p>

<p>This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities tempts functionalities.</p>
<hr class="full-width" />
</div>

<div class="article">
<div class="important">
<p>If you know of an example that ought to be in this page but isn't
here, please write
to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>
to inform us. Please include the developer URL of a trustworthy reference or two
to impose some.
</p> serve as specific substantiation.</p>
</div>

<ul>
<li>

<div class="column-limit" id="malware-adobe"></div>

<ul class="blurbs">
  <li id="M201910071">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Adobe applications has <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160308062844/http://www.wired.com/2013/05/adobe-creative-cloud-petition/">require
periodic connection
    href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/adobe-to-ban-users-from-venezuela-due-to-us-executive-order/">
    cancelled the software subscriptions of all users in
    Venezuela</a>. This demonstrates how a requirement for subscription can be
    turned into a tool for sabotage.</p>
  </li>

  <li id="M201701110">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2017-01</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>An upgrade package for Acrobat Reader <a
    href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/software/adobe-acrobat-reader-dc-update-installs-chrome-browser-extension/">silently
    alters Chrome</a>.</p>
  </li>

  <li id="M201510220">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2015-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Adobe nonfree software may halt
    all other work and freeze a computer <a
    href="http://shallowsky.com/blog/gimp/non-free-software-surprises.html">
    to perform a server</a>.</p> license check</a>, at a random time every 30 days.</p>
  </li>

  <li id="M201410080">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-10</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Adobe made “Digital Editions,”
    the e-reader used by most US libraries, <a
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141220181015/http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/drm-strikes-again-3575860/">
    send lots of data to Adobe</a>.  Adobe's “excuse”: it's
    needed to check DRM!</p>
  </li>

<li>

  <li id="M201402200">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-02</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p><a
href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/adobe-software-subscription-model-means-you-cant-own-your-software/">
    href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/adobe-software-subscription-model-means-you-cant-own-your-software/">
    Adobe tools require a subscription</a>.  Adobe also tried to <a
    href="http://chocolateandvodka.com/2014/02/20/adobe-creative-cloud-subscription-warning/">
    rip people off by making the subscriptions annual</a>, but that is
    a secondary issue compared with the basic wrong of the time bomb.
    When a program proprietary, and even malware, don't get distracted
    by the secondary issues like price.</p>

<p>Please

    <p><small>(Please don't repeat the marketing term “Creative
    Cloud” except to express revulsion for it.  The <a
    href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#CloudComputing"> term
    “cloud” is designed to cloud users' minds</a>.</p> minds</a>.)</small></p>
  </li>

<li><p>Adobe nonfree software may halt all other work and freeze a
computer

  <li id="M201305100">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Adobe applications <a
href="http://shallowsky.com/blog/gimp/non-free-software-surprises.html">
    href="https://www.wired.com/2013/05/adobe-creative-cloud-petition/">
    require periodic connection to perform a license check</a>, at a random time every 30
days.</p></li>

<li><p>Adobe server</a>.</p>
  </li>

  <li id="M201305060">
    <!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-05</small>'
    --><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
    <p>Adobe applications have time bombs: they <a
    href="http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/06/adobe-goes-all-in-with-subscription-based-creative-cloud-will-stop-selling-regular-cs-licenses-shrink-wrapped-boxes/">
    stop working after a certain time</a>, after which the user
    must pay to extend the time.</p>

    <p>Once there was a problem with the servers
    that these programs use to check who has paid, and <a
href="http://www.macuser.co.uk/9015-adobe-creative-cloud-outage-leaves-adobe-users-locked-out">
    href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150120010845/http://www.macuser.co.uk/9015-adobe-creative-cloud-outage-leaves-adobe-users-locked-out">
    the applications refused to work for anyone</a>.</p></li>

<li><p>Adobe made “Digital Editions,” the e-reader used by
most US libraries, <a
href="http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/drm-strikes-again-3575860/">
send lots of data to Adobe</a>.  Adobe's “excuse”: it's
needed to check DRM!</p></li> anyone</a>.</p>
  </li>
</ul>

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