Adobe Acrobat Reader 2015 DC rdrcef.exe continuously sending info to Amazon

Brand new Adobe Reader 2015 is out and Adobe installs file rdrcef.exe which continuously sends info to Amazon.
Hard blocking rdrcef.exe is therefore a given as the only way to prevent third party servers having contact with our files, but it would be nice if there is a way to disable it in registry or options, please post if/when you find out how.

While it is important for this program to get updated continuously due to obvious security concerns, Adobe appears to have made updating mandatory, taking away our choice between security and stability. Before 2015 DC version just came out, I know for a fact that some version 11 releases, like 11.0.9 was buggy and I did not install it on certain machines with unimportant disposable content on which we need STABILITY more than security, on which we only install updates which have been confirmed as stable on our systems.
So if anyone figures out how to disable automatic updates only, please post.


P.S. Of course there are excellent alternatives like http://www.sumatrapdfreader.org/download-free-pdf-viewer.html
but that's not the point of this thread


EDIT: SOLVED:
If you want to use eServices then great, if not, here's the reg file to disable interaction between the files you read and cloud storage:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown\cServices]

"bToggleAdobeDocumentServices"=dword:00000001

"bToggleAdobeSign"=dword:00000001

"bTogglePrefSync"=dword:00000001

"bUpdater"=dword:00000000

Amazon is becoming more and more of a player in the 'cloud' with their AWS hosting solution. If I had to guess, something on the backend is hosted at Amazon, and the product is trying to phone home either for updates, license validation, data gathering, live ads, etc. Unfortunately, you'll probably only get your answer by reaching out to Adobe directly, or by disassembling the binary that is reaching out. And since it's a free product, I wouldn't hold my breath from Adobe.

agreed with pcg4l, that would be my guess as well (something with AWS)

FWIW saw this on reddit:

Customized install that auto-removes the online services during install. (nothing fancy, just using adobe customization wizard)

A game I play always tries to run a helper .exe file, and will fail to load if it is unable to read it and update it when needed, so you cannot just delete it or rename it, and it does this check every time you run the startup for the game. It also attempts to install it as a startup item in Windows. Even if you disable it in msconfig, it will make a new entry again the next time its run. Needless to say, it serves no real purpose other then appearing to phone home and constantly run in the background doing who knows what.

What I did to disable it, was to change the permissions to deny all users from executing the file (it's called Traverse Folder/Execute File under the Advanced Permission settings under the Security tab of the file properties). By simply setting that one deny, the original executable to run the game can still read the file, update the file, but it will no longer be able to run. It also does not re-install itself as a startup item, which is something I think the unneeded .exe does itself.

Give it a whirl and see if that keeps the rdrcef.exe from running, without the PDF viewer complaining.

I was using Comodo Firewall freeware to simply block the exe from accessing the internet:
http://download.comodo.com/cis/download/installs/4010/standalone/cfw_installer.exe

...but was hoping for a settings or a registry fix that would not require a hard block...


Good news on the update front though, these registry entries may disable it, I am trying to figure out registry text for version 11 and version DC 2015:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/ac...html?zoom_highlight=updates#idkeyname_1_20396

rdrcef.exe? Hmmm... can't find it in services or processes. I had a BSoD in the middle of the night so if it's an auto start, it should be running.

That's because it's brand new. The just released new version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC 2015 installs it.
If you want to use eServices then great, if not, here's the reg file to disable interaction between the files you read and cloud storage:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown\cServices]

"bToggleAdobeDocumentServices"=dword:00000001

"bToggleAdobeSign"=dword:00000001

"bTogglePrefSync"=dword:00000001

"bUpdater"=dword:00000000

I'm still on v11.x w/newest updates. What are the advantages of the newest AR?

1. On some systems it comes with this bug, it is popping up all over the internet as we speak:

Every time the program closes it is entering Event ID 16 into the windows event log with the following message:
"The description for Event ID 16 from source Adobe Reader cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event..."

2. I repeatedly uninstalled/rebooted/installed/rebooted both version 11 and the new version DC 2015 to clearly see a slower performance when I open a standard 100 page pdf magazine, some pages are displayed a lot quicker in Adobe Reader 11 than in the just released Adobe Reader 2015 DC.


I will not be including Adobe Reader 2015 in my OS image next Patch Tuesday, having tested it all day.
I will test future versions when they come out, but something tells me that graphics lag will not go away, it may be one of those things like with new Yahoo email or new Google maps... developers today don't consider it a slowdown if something lasts a second or two longer... they say 'well what's an extra second or two?'

Thanx for the info. Looks like I'll be standing pat with v11.

c627627 said:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown\cServices]

"bToggleAdobeDocumentServices"=dword:00000001

"bToggleAdobeSign"=dword:00000001

"bTogglePrefSync"=dword:00000001

"bUpdater"=dword:00000000

Click to expand...

This doesn't stop Acrobat Reader DC to send data to cloud. I imported these registry setting, yet still can see that rdrcef.exe is connecting to cloud.acrobat.com

After adding that registry in, and rebooting the computer, what program did you use to intercept rdrcef.exe please?


By the way, separate from this, another piece of useful info:
To permanently disable Tool Pane from showing up every time you open a pdf document in Adobe Reader DC 2015:
Go to program directory, for example:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroApp\ENU

Create a new folder and name it (for example) Disabled
Move these 3 files from the "ENU" folder into the new "Disabled" folder:
AppCenter_R.aapp
Home.aapp
Viewer.aapp.

[If you just move the "Viewer" file, if you clicked on "Home" or "Tools" on the toolbar you couldn't go back to the "Document." - moving all 3 files files takes care of that issue.]

Hi.
Yes - PC was rebooted after adding these entries to registry. I use fiddler to monitor HTTP traffic and it still shows that rdrcef.exe is connecting to cloud.acrobat.com.

Personally I find pdf readers do not need internet access in general. I would not recommend adobe's unless you must use it and even then it still doesn't require it-I use tracker's pdf xchange. Just add cloud.acrobat.com to your hosts.

habbajabba said:

I use tracker's pdf xchange

Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing me to this great software. I will get rid of Adobe Reader and start using X-Change Viewer.

I tested a bunch of them a while ago and found this one, check it out too:
http://www.sumatrapdfreader.org/download-free-pdf-viewer.html

Even opens .epub, .mobi & .djvu files.

Funny that the internet brought me here. I use the Adobe customization wizard to drop anything I don't want, and even entering the registry settings to deny certain things. Nice post, c-627-Dub (post #7). I create a virtual app with Liquidware's FlexApp, so this may come in handy.

I've gone back to Adobe Reader 11 since then, after finding out several additional options that you could not turn off in version DC.
I started a thread at Adobe Forums https://forums.adobe.com/message/7761948#7761948 and Adobe people actually read that and included the option to turn off those annoyances (!) thereafter. But I still did not go back to DC, seeing how messed up their initial approach to making it was...

I use ocforums as my personal cloud storage, sometimes you mods delete my threads not realizing they aren't directed at anyone else and just serve that purpose for me...


I absolutely hit my own posts while doing an internet search too... that's why I try to post everything in enough detail so that a 4-year-old can follow it.
I've helped myself over the years in everything from Windows to car stereo installation.
A few months ago, my stereo malfunctioned and had to be replaced and I saved myself hours of time and frustration by following this, without which I would have had no clue how to do it if I didn't post in so much detail:
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...250962-how-replace-toyota-camry-speakers.html

As far as computer-related stuff - my own posts at ocforums have helped me more than anything over the years...!!!

I do something similar to what you do, for almost everything, except I do it a bit differently. I don't post a thread for everything as some of it could be personal, or confidential (pertaining to work). Instead, I have a "KB" on my file-server that I use text files, and IE shortcuts. Most of the time, if I get info from a web link, I just put the web link at the top of my text file and then wrote my own notes. If I created a thread, I'll link to it at the top of the text/doc file and then I copy/paste the entire contents in. Why copy/paste? Because you never know if/when a website/domain is brought down.

LOL I do exactly the same thing for the same reasons haha,

And when I post threads trying to sync EXACTLY the kind of files you described from PC to my phone, 9/10 people cannot understand why in the world I would want to do that instead of *JUST* keeping it in the cloud