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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>
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<p>Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to
mistreat the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its developers,
which puts them in a position of power over the users; <a
href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">that is the
basic injustice</a>. The developers and manufacturers often exercise
that power to the detriment of the users they ought to serve.</p>
<p>This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities.</p>
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<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 URL of a trustworthy reference or two
to serve as specific substantiation.</p>
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<div class="column-limit" id="malware-adobe"></div>
<ul class="blurbs">
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<li id="M202406100">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2024-06</small>'
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<p>In its terms of service, Adobe gives itself permission to <a
href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/adobe-defends-changes-in-its-terms-of-service-amid-gen-ai-explosion/">
spy on material that people upload to its servers</a>, supposedly for
moderation purposes. In spite of Adobe's denial, we can expect
that sooner or later it will use this material to train its so-called
“artificial intelligence,” and will claim that by agreeing
to the terms of service users gave it the right to do so.</p>
</li>
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<li id="M201910071">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-10</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Adobe has <a
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>
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<li id="M201905140">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2019-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Adobe <a
href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/a3xk3p/adobe-tells-users-they-can-get-sued-for-using-old-versions-of-photoshop">
revoked the license of some older versions</a> of its applications,
and warned customers that they can get sued for using them.</p>
<p>This is further proof that users of nonfree software are in the
hands of its developer.</p>
</li>
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<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>
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<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">
href="https://shallowsky.com/blog/gimp/non-free-software-surprises.html">
to perform a license check</a>, at a random time every 30 days.</p>
</li>
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<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>
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<li id="M201402200">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2014-02</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p><a
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><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>.)</small></p>
</li>
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<li id="M201305100">
<!--#set var="DATE" value='<small class="date-tag">2013-05</small>'
--><!--#echo encoding="none" var="DATE" -->
<p>Adobe applications <a
href="https://www.wired.com/2013/05/adobe-creative-cloud-petition/">
require periodic connection to a server</a>.</p>
</li>
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<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/">
href="https://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="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>
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