Adobe reader updater virus

I have a recurring problem with the Adobe Reader updater. I keep getting this thing in the Dock that wants me to update Adobe Reader. If I right click on it I can quit, and it goes away for 24 hours, but the next day it is back again.

The thing is I do not use Reader, and it is not installed on my Mac (intentionally as I use Nuance PDF Converter instead). I do have Adobe Acrobat installed (as part of Adobe CS 6), but I never use it.

This is just an annoyance, but I am wondering since I have heard of an "Adobe Reader Virus".

Any ideas about this?

You'd need either turn off Adobe CS Updater, or, better still, update your Acrobat Pro. Adobe Update makes no distinction between [Acrobat] Reader and Acrobat Pro.

There have been a few important security updates and, even though you're not using the Acrobat, it would still be prudent to keep it up-to-date.

To make sure the link is genuine, just go through Acrobat update (I'm still on CS5, but it shouldn't be that different ...):

Why even use Reader when you have Preview built into your operating system? Assuming of course you do use OS X?

harryb2448 said:

Why even use Reader when you have Preview built into your operating system? Assuming of course you do use OS X?

Click to expand...

The OP specifically mentioned that, they do not use Reader, and it's not even installed on their system ;D

Acrobat Pro, on the other hand, is a completely different kind of fish, and is used for professional pre-press work, not something one can expect to do in Preview.

Evil Adobe Reader Updater

harryb2448 said:

Why even use Reader when you have Preview built into your operating system? Assuming of course you do use OS X?

Click to expand...

Sir, I couldn't agree with you more. Preview is more than capable of handling any function that is truly needed. When my kids got their first Macs, one of the first things I did was uninstall Adobe Reader. However, I cannot seem to get that horrible updater box off of my Mac.

My issue is I loathe evil Adobe. The only exceptions I find are Photoshop, of course, Illustrator and then there's another Adobe product that I hold dear in my heart and never share with anyone. However, tonight I will share it with you. You see, I miss the long ago, simpler times, when the golden rays of the sun brought about the promise of a new day and the possibilities that dwelt within. When evenings brought cool breezes that clipped the heat of the day and the warmth that wrapped around you like a gentle hug. Those were wonderful times, because those were times when I could build a simple but lovely and functional website using Adobe GoLive 6.0.

Ahhh....those were the days, my friend,

But I came here – clearly a bit late to the party – for the same reason as all of you. I want to find a way to stop that d#@$ little red and white square from popping up and down in my dock every day. I'm on a 17" MacBook Pro, El Capitan, (don't you just love that name!), version 10.11.1 using all of the latest, most updated software available to me. Yet, when it comes to Adobe Reader, I have deleted everything I can think of and some things that I couldn't. Yet, the blasted square tab still pops up and down every day. Did I mention I loathe Adobe?

Did anyone arrive at a solution that didn't involve stopping the notification of all software updates?

Download Malwarebytes for Mac from https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/mac/ and run the Scan option.

MBP17•David nailed it in his first post.