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adobe CS and spyware

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Bernadette Buechler

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my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for sure.
 
Bernadette...

It's the way it's going I'm afraid.

Still we do have a choice, just don't upgrade. Unless there is something in an upgrade that you simply can't live without, then just be happy that what one has now works just great.

I have a bunch of programs from way back when 'Archie" was the search engine, that still work and work well.... ACDSee for one. I did go to XP, under duress mind :-)

MikeF
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
--
A few of my images... Watch out! there's some nudity about.
http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/~mikefinn/action.html
 
MikeF said:
Bernadette...

It's the way it's going I'm afraid.

Still we do have a choice, just don't upgrade. Unless there is
something in an upgrade that you simply can't live without, then
just be happy that what one has now works just great.

I have a bunch of programs from way back when 'Archie" was the
search engine, that still work and work well.... ACDSee for one. I
did go to XP, under duress mind :-)

MikeF

am pretty sure i won't be upgrading-not being much of a photographer haven't seen anything that I can't live without. Your actions will happily keep me occupied for a long time to come:) Don't think i would want to do without my XP tho:)
Click to expand...
 
I've got the Adobe LM service installed but it is set to manual and so it doesn't run. Photoshop CS still works OK so no problems there.

cheers
Leo
--
Michielsens Digital Photography
Photoshop tutorials for beginners
http://www.michielsen.info
 
I am surprised this thread has not created more responses, even though it might be considered a mite beyond the purview of this forum. At first reading, I thought, "ah-ha, another urban legend is born" but upon further snooping, there may well be a modicum of legitamate concern here. A good synopsis of the popular thinking on this subject can be found on usenet, comp.graphics.photoshop in a thread started 11/12/03. Consensus is that AdobeLM is actually an iteration of Macrovision's SafeCast.

For the Adobe party line on CS activation, try http://www.adobe.com/activation/main . I don't know if the purposted ability of Adobe to remotely shut down CS has been substantiated but the activation concept alone is sufficient to scotch my thoughts of upgrading. That's why last year I switched from TurboTax to Tax Cut. At least the CS activation process allows installation on two computers; TurboTax didn't even allow that.
 
No big deal...I removed "Adobelmsvc.exe" from my PC (Windows 2000 Pro) and all works fine.

Rick Murtha
http://www.pbase.com/rmurtha
Rochester, NY USA
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
 
I stand corrected....Photoshop replaced the file when I tried to run again.
Rick Murtha said:
Rick Murtha
http://www.pbase.com/rmurtha
Rochester, NY USA
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
For me the worst thing about activation spyware is that it is a slap in the face inconvenience for all us loyal full fee paying customers who have supported Adobe for years. The moment Microsoft started doing this sort of thing was the time that I stopped automatically upgrading my word and office products. It is just insulting. In these days of sophisticated software you would think they might try to target the bad guys and leave the good guys alone? Everyone seems to be automatically assumed to be guilty nowadays! Is that the sort of world we really want to live in?
David
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
 
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
Bernadette

I have just activated my copy of CS by phone today.I think your fears are unfounded. IMHO Adobe are only doing their best to stop pirating of their products. I also heard elsewhere that CS had been cracked already anyway.If you have any fears about the matter just install on a computer that is not connected to the NET or install a firewall and don't allow access from or to Adobe.

Fred
 
rather than doing all those things it is simpler and cheaper to not install photoshop cs
-bruce
Fred Meehan1 said:
I have just activated my copy of CS by phone today.I think your
fears are unfounded. IMHO Adobe are only doing their best to stop
pirating of their products. I also heard elsewhere that CS had been
cracked already anyway.If you have any fears about the matter just
install on a computer that is not connected to the NET or install a
firewall and don't allow access from or to Adobe.

Fred
Click to expand...
 
You can go into;

services.msc

and find the Adobe LM service.

If you go in without PS CS running, it appears to be off, and on manual. At that point you can change manual to disable, reboot and it will stay disabled. The minute you start PS CS it activates the service regardless of whether it's disabled or not. When you quit PS CS the status goes back to off, and manual. It would appear that this service only functions when PS CS is started up and in use.

There is another thread on here where a user had to re-activate after doing a system restore. I bet these threads are related. The LM service probably reports system changes to Adobe to determine if re-activation is necessary. Otherwise, it appears to do nothing when CS is not running.

VES
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
--
'Deceive, Inveigle, Obfuscate.' - The X-Files (Teliko)

http://www.pbase.com/vsteven
 
For my own part, I disagree. I dont understand why people are so easily offended by this. Adobe is not "slapping" the honest users. They may be putting forth a minor inconvenience (FOR THE MOST PART), but that's it.

It's kind of like being offended that I have to lock my house door at night. I'm not locking it because I"m a criminal, I'm locking it because other people are criminals.

The problem with just targeting the bad guys is, WHO are the bad guys? If everyone digital wore white if the were good and black when they were bad, it might be easy to identify them.

I feel pretty certain I'm in the minority here, but I don't have a problem with activation systems. I support their effort, to this point, in trying to protect their work and investment. Very few people are going to come on the forum and say "It's a good thing they have that activation system, because otherwise I would be copying and using Photoshop". Almost everyone always says, it's not me, I'm an honest user.

I think more than ACTUAL inconvenience, it's the fear and apprehension caused by potential inconvenience that worries people. That's my opinion anyway. I sure a relatively few amount of people probably have been inconvenienced in some way, but nothing is perfect.

VES
D©P Images said:
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
'Deceive, Inveigle, Obfuscate.' - The X-Files (Teliko)

http://www.pbase.com/vsteven
 
Vern Stevens said:
If you go in without PS CS running, it appears to be off, and on
manual. At that point you can change manual to disable, reboot and
it will stay disabled. The minute you start PS CS it activates the
service regardless of whether it's disabled or not. When you quit
PS CS the status goes back to off, and manual. It would appear
that this service only functions when PS CS is started up and in
use.
Click to expand...
I followed your steps precisely (running Win XP Home), and while PS CS starts up fine and starts the service, the service remains running even after I quit PS CS.

I use hardware profiles and so disabled the AdobeLM service for my standard profile and rebooted. This time, PS CS brought up an error message upon loading stating that I need to be in a privileged account in order for its activation service to run, then exited.

So there is no way around this... one must have the AdobeLM service running in order to run CS. And, at least in my case, I have to manually stop the service once I exit CS (or else restart my PC).

What a PITA.

Dan
 
for those folks that want to use it, your solution doesn't work.

VES
bruce komusin said:
Fred Meehan1 said:
I have just activated my copy of CS by phone today.I think your
fears are unfounded. IMHO Adobe are only doing their best to stop
pirating of their products. I also heard elsewhere that CS had been
cracked already anyway.If you have any fears about the matter just
install on a computer that is not connected to the NET or install a
firewall and don't allow access from or to Adobe.

Fred
Click to expand...
--
Click to expand...
--
'Deceive, Inveigle, Obfuscate.' - The X-Files (Teliko)

http://www.pbase.com/vsteven
 
Like I said, to me it's a slap for honest users. Why burden the loyal supporters with procedures meant to target the other people. I have owned legal versions of PS 6 and PS 7, but I recently purchased Picture Windows Pro because (1) it is a great photographer's program and (2) I don't like heavy handed bully tactics of a company I have supported.
David
D©P Images said:
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
they don't know who the bad guys are, and who they aren't. And just because a store may lock it's doors at night, it's not a slap in your face, or the face of other honest people. Or on a personal note, if you have a relative come to your home, are they upset when your door is locked when they get there? I mean surely you trust your relatives right? Why not leave it unlocked so they aren't inconvenienced by you having to open the door for them. Now, since you are a much smaller scale than an international company like Adobe, you can pick and choose the times and people for which you will leave your door unlocked. For Adobe, the task is much more difficult. Bad guys don't always wear black.

Not to mention the fact that you could possibly have civil suits against you (as a company) when you try to treat people differently in terms of licensing and protection.

I'm an honest user, I don't feel slapped.

I can understand if you don't llike activation schemes for whatever reason. But I can't agree that you can say that Adobe is slapping people in the face. That implies Adobe has some personal interest in it in offending its users. They aren't trying to offend anyone, they are trying to protect their investment in what they believe is the best way. I also don't agree that they are being heavy handed bullys. Heavy handed bullys don't give you the option of not using "their services". Clearly if you can choose not to use PSCS, they aren't bullying you.

VES
D©P Images said:
D©P Images said:
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
'Deceive, Inveigle, Obfuscate.' - The X-Files (Teliko)

http://www.pbase.com/vsteven
 
Those who want to use CS will have to learn to live with such nonsense. But if you want a powerful, versatile editor,there is no reason to put up with it. There are PLENTY of very good editors out there.

The secret to controlling this shortsighted insanity on Adobe's part is to stop sending them money.
Vern Stevens said:
VES
bruce komusin said:
Fred Meehan1 said:
I have just activated my copy of CS by phone today.I think your
fears are unfounded. IMHO Adobe are only doing their best to stop
pirating of their products. I also heard elsewhere that CS had been
cracked already anyway.If you have any fears about the matter just
install on a computer that is not connected to the NET or install a
firewall and don't allow access from or to Adobe.

Fred
Click to expand...
--
Click to expand...
--
'Deceive, Inveigle, Obfuscate.' - The X-Files (Teliko)

http://www.pbase.com/vsteven
Click to expand...
--
G. Barrington
Teradata Certified Professional
 
It should be relatively easy to monitor the service behavior and determine if it's simply an configuration/activation determinator (made up term, of course.. which I think is 'lame', but that's not the point here) OR if it's truly 'spying'.

Has anyone done this? If not and you need some basic info on how to, please post back and I'll be glad to provide some help with what to look for and how.

-icmp
Bernadette Buechler said:
my husband came across this post on the rec.video.desktop
newsgroup-had never come across this before.

post says :
If you've bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service
called "Adobe LM Service", this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP
or Windows 2000 is set to "disabled", SafeCast re-enables itself the
next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally
fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of
the machine it's installed on, and will refuse to load the application
if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears
to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and
The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms
can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED.
So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a
pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these
terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer

has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I
haven't upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for
sure.
Click to expand...
 
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