Need a computer genius to help with Adobe Flash/ActiveX?

Question

I keep getting warning bars that sites are trying to install ActiveX to me. Then I get pop-ups (that keep coming back & back), to install Adobe Flash Player. It comes with a security warning from AOL. I keep clicking "no", and it keeps coming back. PLEASE...someone help -- is this a virus, or malware? I'm so confused and scared, I'm crying. Now I'm afraid to go to different sites. Can someone who knows about this help me, please? Thank you!

Answer 1

Answer this simple question. Can you go to youtube.com and vimeo.com and play the videos ? If you can and don't get any Flash pop-ups than I find the prompts you are getting suspicious.



Furthermore, don't update to the current flash player. It has problems with full screen playback at this time. I installed it from adobe.com and had to remove it and re install an older version.



Install Firefox browser and use that to surf the Internet. It's stable and pretty safe.





You may want to consider running a spyware/malware and virus scan as a precaution. You can get

COMODO Internet Security which is free ( they also have a pro version ) but the free one is just as effective.



http://www.comodo.com/home/internet-security/free-internet-security.php



McAfee and others out there tend to cripple your system based on personal experience.

Answer 2

It sounds like the website you are viewing wants to play some interactive content, such as a video, advertisement, or game. The multiple pop-ups generated for this are usually normal. If you have already been viewing videos on Youtube, Hulu, etc. without a problem, I would be more suspicious and want to try running a virus scan.



I highly recommend Avast! antivirus as a free option, and Norton Internet Security 2012 as the paid alternative. You can find it cheap on Amazon. I would definitely avoid Mcafee, which is a terrible, bloated, and ineffective antivirus. Check some reviews of antivirus for proof.

Answer 3

I suggest downloading and installing http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html and choosing the free version. Next you will want to run a boot time scan by opening Avast > "Scan Computer" > "Boot Time Scan" > then restart your computer and let it work. This will take a while and the first sight of something suspicious it will prompt you with different options. Most likely you will want to delete it, I usually click "delete all" so i dont have to continuously monitor it as i trust it not to delete anything important. HOWEVER, if this problem has only started recently do a system restore to the last know date when your computer ran normal as this is much easier.

Answer 4

Flash is not malware, it's a popular multimedia player used by websites



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Flash



ActiveX is a programming language for multimedia applications



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActiveX



It shouldn't be a problem to install them as long as you know the website is trusted (i.e. Adobe, Microsoft)

Answer 5

Active X and Adobe Flashplayer are programs that run certain things on websites (such as videos and certain codes) they are fine to download but to be safe go to the Adobe and Active X website to download them.

Answer 6

Active X and Adobe Flashplayer are programs that run certain things on websites (such as videos and certain codes) they are fine to download but to be safe go to the Adobe and Active X website to download them.

Answer 7

i suggest that you download adobe. its a good software to have. but new downloads come up often and its safe.



with active X, this is what you sold do download a good anti virus Program like mcAfee or newton. there are manny of active X some are safe some are not, but it seems like you have to install it but thats why your gonna need the anti virus. so after you dowload it you can see if its safe, if not or you just dont whant it you can sherd it with mcAfee or newton.



hope this helped

Answer 8

This is not a virus, it is wanting to update your adobe program, certain sites you go to, if it uses adobe then it will want to run the latest version, th.is sounds like no normal virus to me i would recommend trying to download it if it takes you to adobe's website then your okay

Answer 9

if you haven't updated the latest version of adobe flash player you will continue to receive those pop-ups which is normal. though i would just download google chrome it runs beast and already has adobe flash player pre-installed



solution: just update adobe flash player and check for any additional updates from "windows update"

Answer 10

I'm a genius, you need McAfee, they protect your computer. Simple solution and much simpler and easy to understand the the other guys. You have a pretty picture by the way.

Answer 11

The real question is why do you still have AOL