Bleeping computer reports Flash patch force installed

[Susan Bradley]

Sigh. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-force-installs-windows-10-update-to-remove-flash-player/ Now hopefully by now Askwoody
[See the full post at: Bleeping computer reports Flash patch force installed]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

1 user thanked author for this post.

lmacri

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[anonymous]

I am on 20H2 Home version and I got this update this morning. I got the regular Defender definitions update and this one. But it did not install automatically. The definitions did (they always do), but the Flash removal update showed it was available to download. I did go ahead and click download and let it install. It did not ask for a reboot after installing.

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[howardagoldberg]

On my 1909 system, when clicking ‘Check for Updates’ last night, it was downloaded and installed – no option given.

On my 20H2 system – last night, the ‘Flash’ settings app was still in the Control Panel (legacy), and check for updates showed nothing. Just now, checked for updates again, nothing. But went to the Control Panel, and the Flash settings app was gone. Going to ‘View History’ in WU, under ‘other updates,’ it shows the removal update (KB4577586) was installed today (sometime between 6:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.) – completely silently, and no reboot requested/required.

So … does not seem like an optional update. More so, on my 20H2 system, it installed without any user interaction whatsoever.

It’s good by me Flash is gone – but this is not the behavior MS describes as the update should follow. And of course, continues begging the question how much control over updates we really have regardless of our settings.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by howardagoldberg.

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[Seff]

Never “check for updates” if you aren’t ready and willing to install whatever updates are found.

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[Susan Bradley]

You can never ever “check for updates”.  It doesn’t “check” … it “installs”.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

2 users thanked author for this post.

Tom-R, Charlie

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[howardagoldberg]

Susan,

Generally, I agree with you regarding ‘check for updates.’ In this case though, there should be an ‘optional updates’ section where this would fall.

And with my 20H2 machine, as I said, it was installed with zero user interaction. Any time I checked for updates, the update was not offered, and the result of the check was ‘up to date.’ The Flash removal KB was installed completely silently.

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[Alex5723]

howardagoldberg wrote:

how much control over updates we really have regardless of our settings.

Just the amount Microsoft is willing to give, disregard, or take away.
Microsoft has full ‘front door’ into Windows OS.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Charlie, T

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[jayinalaska]

Windows 10 Pro, 20H2: The update is respecting my deferral settings. I’m not seeing it here.

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[redknight]

I received KB4577586 (both 1909 and 2004).  It showed up when doing a routine wushowhide.  I hid it.  Do I install it (is it safe to install) or do I keep it forever hidden?

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by redknight.

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[Bob99]

Please see @Alex5723 ‘s reply to you below.

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[Mele20]

You need to install it. It will get rid of Flash Player that is embedded in 1909 and 2004. Flash Player is EOL so a potential security risk and should be removed.

You also need to make sure Flash Player is removed from all browsers used on both 1909 and 2004.

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[Bob99]

I just got it, and it didn’t force a reboot. 20H2 19042.746 x64 Pro. Installed via WU.

I rebooted anyway out of habit. No ill effects nor side effects so far.

My 2¢ worth.

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[Pixie]

I am on 2004 with WU deferred.    If I resume click on resume updates to get this update that removes Flash, it will download and install all Febr updates. Is that is what being recommended NOW because of Flash?   I recall several weeks ago reading we could remove Flash manually or wait until the update came out that would remove it automatically.  I chose to wait for auto removal.  Is there a risk waiting another week to update and remove Flash?

 

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[Alex5723]

redknight wrote:

I received KB4577586 (both 1909 and 2004).  It showed up when doing a routine wushowhide.  I hid it.  Do I install it (is it safe to install) or do I keep it forever hidden?

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by redknight.

It is safe to install.

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[Pixie]

Alex, if I install Flash update, all the other WU that are deferred will also install.  All are being deferred presently.  So are you saying it’s safe to install Febr updates?

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[Alex5723]

Pixie wrote:

Is there a risk waiting another week to update and remove Flash?

There is no risk in waiting.

There are 2 Flash uninstall steps needed :

1. Adobe Flash browsers uninstall
2.Microsoft Flash browser (IE11/Edge) uninstall KB4577586.

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[Alex5723]

Pixie wrote:

So are you saying it’s safe to install Febr updates?

No.
KB4577586 is safe to install.

You can wait until MS-DEFCON = 3/4.
You download and install KB4577586 manually.
You can hide all other Feb. updates apart from KB4577586 using WUmgr, WUmt..

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[Pixie]

Thank you Alex.  I may wait a week or two then unless it’s critical we update now.

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[EP]

Susan Bradley wrote:

Sigh. https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-force-installs-windows-10-update-to-remove-flash-player/ Now hopefully by now Askwoody
[See the full post at: Bleeping computer reports Flash patch force installed]

ZDNet and a few others are also reporting about the force install of the Flash removal update:

ZDNet – Microsoft starts removing Flash from Windows devices via new KB4577586 update

GHacks.net – Microsoft is pushing out Flash-killer update KB4577586 via Windows Update

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[EP]

howardagoldberg wrote:

Susan,

Generally, I agree with you regarding ‘check for updates.’ In this case though, there should be an ‘optional updates’ section where this would fall.

And with my 20H2 machine, as I said, it was installed with zero user interaction. Any time I checked for updates, the update was not offered, and the result of the check was ‘up to date.’ The Flash removal KB was installed completely silently.

well KB4577586 is no longer an optional update as of mid-February 2021
MS didn’t update that support article to reflect that

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[Tex265]

OK, so I installed the KB update, the Control Panel icon is gone, and each browser shows Flash gone on the Adobe site, but I still have the Adobe and Macromedia folders with some sub-folders (most empty) under %appdata% Roaming folder.

So simply manually delete these 2 Main Folders with remaining content?

Windows 10 Pro x64 v20H2 and Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 (RIP)

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[Alex5723]

Tex265 wrote:

So simply manually delete these 2 Main Folders with remaining content?

I left the folders in place but deleted the files inside.
The KB update is just for removing Flash from IE11 and Edge.
In order to remove flash from other browsers you need to uninstall Flash with Adobe uninstaller.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by Alex5723.

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[Tex265]

Alex5723 wrote:

The KB update is just for removing Flash from IE11 and Edge.

All I had was/is IE11, Latest Edge (chredge), and Firefox (which never had it).  According to the  Flash website none of the 3 have Flash but those (mostly empty) folders still remained after installing the KB.

Windows 10 Pro x64 v20H2 and Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64 (RIP)

1 user thanked author for this post.

Alex5723

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[Alex5723]

Tex265 wrote:

but those (mostly empty) folders still remained after installing the KB.

Microsoft always fails with uninstalling software leaving Leftover files behind.

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[Paul T]

MS is not alone in this.
If the program creates files/folders/registry entries outside the installer, e.g. during use, the installer can’t know about these and therefore cannot remove them.

cheers, Paul

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[Alex5723]

Paul T wrote:

MS is not alone in this.
If the program creates files/folders/registry entries outside the installer, e.g. during use, the installer can’t know about these and therefore cannot remove them.

cheers, Paul

3rd party uninstallers will search and remove orphaned folders, registry entries… if a small developer can do it, 166,475 Microsoft employees should too.

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[anonymous]

i guess reboot is only needed when Flash-Plugin is active, e.g when IE is opened while update is installed.

1 user thanked author for this post.

abbodi86

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[anonymous]

I need my Flash player for my bank log in and other finical sites. how to stop this from being removed? I already had to spend time with my bank to unblock after 1/12/2021. The bank is planning to move to something else in 6 month or so. Other option is to install older version of a player on WIndows 7 or Xp or will it be removed as well on those OS?

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[Susan Bradley]

I’d be talking to your bank.  They knew this was coming for years.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cybertooth

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[Bob99]

Instead of talking with your bank, I’d be looking for a new financial institution instead. As Susan said just above, they’ve known about this since Adobe put out the notice about discontinuing support for Flash back in 2017, nearly four years ago by now. That’s more than enough time for establishments that play such a central role in peoples’ lives to come up with an HTML5-based alternative to Flash content.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cybertooth

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[abbodi86]

even if you don’t install the Removal update, Adobe Flash will stop working by itself (or already have)
it has timebomb since June 2020 release

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[anonymous]

Bank provide a work around and Flash is still work now in Feb 2021. i will have to call them again and get help to not remove flash player now in Windows 10.

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[EP]

apparently the “forced” KB4577586 flash removal update from WU (or auto updates) seems to occur only with Win10 versions 1809 (incl. LTSC 2019 which was offered the KB4577586 update during a recent WU search) and greater. KB4577586 is not offered thru WU if running Win10 versions 1803 or older. doing a recent WU check on an old Win10 LTSB 2016 (v1607) system did not offer the KB4577586 update for that version.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by EP.

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[abbodi86]

Yes, apparently MS push updates for those downlevel Windows only on Patch Tuesday 🙂
likewise Windows 8/8.1

this is began when the COVID-19 thing paused non security updates for All Windows for few months
after they resumed them, only W10 1809 and later get non patch tuesday updates

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[opti1]

I’m doing initial set up prep on a Win10 1909 PC that has not yet been connected online.

I ran the Adobe uninstall which removed Flash from the list of apps. When I try to manually delete all the additional files from the four folders Adobe says to remove from I get the ‘You need permissions from the TrustedInstaller to delete these files’ message.

I’ve found a couple of articles that show how to change permissions on the files\folders so that I can delete them. But I’m wondering, should I just wait and let KB4577586 clean things up and do it for me?

Also, I assume this deleting of files in the four folders listed by Adobe needs to be done in the Admin account as well as my standard user account. Is that correct?

Thanks!

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[Paul T]

Do not change permissions, they are set that way for a reason.
Let Windows patches do the work.

cheers, Paul

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