[solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

whoops · 2009-06-21 11:17:01

Hi!

As I couldn't get the in-browser flash settings menu to work (they don't seem to catch mouse nor keyboard events probably, at least with arch64), I just sort of removed the ~/.macromedia/Flash_Player/ folder and replaced it by a symlink to /dev/null. Now even though I think flash really had that one coming and it makes me feel a certain satisfaction - this solution can't be that "healthy", can it?

Anybody an idea how to do it right? thx.

Last edited by whoops (2009-06-23 13:19:45)

harryNID · 2009-06-21 14:36:34

HI whoops,

I don't know if this helps but an easier way to get rid of flash cookies is by using this add-on:

Better Privacy:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6623

You can set it to kill them on start-up,shutdown, or both when you start Firefox.

Also (and I found out the hard way) if you uninstall flash-plugin (for whatever reason) then this causes Firefox to hang because this plugin is looking for the macromedia folder. Just make sure to deactivate it before you uninstall and everything will be OK.

You can also set security parameters for flash using Adobe's online interface.:

Global Privacy Settings panel:
http://www.macromedia.com/support/docum … tml#118539

Hope this is what you seek!

P.S. If you use this plugin then it needs the macromedia folder so I would either re-create it or re-install Firefox or you will have the same issue as described above.

Last edited by harryNID (2009-06-21 14:39:21)

whoops · 2009-06-21 15:14:25

I was aware of that firefox add-on, but somehow I don't like the idea of installing add-ons to "get rid of features"... I actually never want flash or flash sites to store anything in those folders in the first place, unless I find something really useful that makes sense to have that ability.

I didn't know that "configuration site" existed, though - thanks!

Going to try that for some days, if it still accumulates trash after setting everything to the "extreme option"... as soon as I figured out the downside of using /dev/null to store all Flash_Player data... at the moment I'm busy linking all the reappearing folders I don't like (stoopid Desktop! go away gconf! wtf, there's another Flash_Player in .adobe... be gone!) to /dev/null until I for some most likely almost totally unrelated problem no one would ever have been able to foresee theoretically will have to reinstall most of my apps

harryNID · 2009-06-22 21:46:20

Yep, I agree with you but that's proprietary software for you after all.

This might interest you as well:

"deactivating firefox3 behind-the-curtain requests"

http://blog.kapsobor.de/archives/2008/0 … _requests/

Good Luck! with your hacking.

Edit:

Just a clarification (IMO): The macromedia/flash cookies are a byproduct of Adobe not Firefox. You can use Firefox without flash so using an add-on here is perfectly acceptable for this circumstance (notice I said IMO). Should we have to load an add-on just to kill these things? I would say, "NO!" but unfortunately that is what this "ad" run world has come too.

Last edited by harryNID (2009-06-22 21:57:21)

whoops · 2009-06-23 13:19:23

Well, I think I'll just leave the whole .adobe / .macromedia folders ln'ed to /dev/null as I didn't manage to find any wanted behaviour not working and noone here has been screameing "Nooo!!!!" yet...

...and as for firefox: yes, that's an entirely different story.

Solid1986Snake · 2009-06-23 18:02:15

Maybe you could store all in a tmpfs.... on reboot everything will be gone....

Gen2ly · 2009-06-23 18:41:41

I like the /dev/null trick. Be gone you cookies. Tried on youtube and hulu and having no problems.

Gen2ly · 2009-06-27 03:36:47

Decided to write a bash script for this as some sites don't work when redirecting to /dev/null.

#!/bin/bash
# flashprotect - redirect flash config files to dev null

if [ -d ~/.macromedia ] && [ -d ~/.adobe ];then
    mv ~/.adobe{,.org}
    mv ~/.macromedia{,.org}
    mv ~/.adobe.devnull ~/.adobe
    mv ~/.macromedia.devnull ~/.macromedia
    echo "Flash configs blackholed";else
    mv ~/.adobe{,.devnull}
    mv ~/.macromedia{,.devnull}
    mv ~/.adobe.org ~/.adobe
    mv ~/.macromedia.org ~/.macromedia
    echo "Restoring orginial flash configs"
fi

Have to create the ~/.adobe.devnull and ~/.macromedia.devnull symlinks though manually. Gotta be a good way to do that.

Last edited by Gen2ly (2009-06-27 04:00:56)

phunni · 2010-05-22 16:39:05

Presumably there's not reason not to simply run a simple script that deletes ~/.macromedia on shutdown?

I'm assuming the directory will get re-created as required and then everything should work...?

harryNID · 2010-05-23 13:58:07

I know everybody wants to find a way to do this using /dev/null or by some other low-level means but here is how I do it.

Note: I'm not a super FLASH junkie (Youtube, hulu, etc.) but this setup works for me so mileage might vary.

Go here: Global Storage Settings Panel (second tab from the left)
http://www.macromedia.com/support/docum … ger03.html

Set the slider all the way to the left and then uncheck:

Never Ask Again
Allow third-party Flash content to store data on your computer

Then go here: Website Storage Settings Panel (last tab)
http://www.macromedia.com/support/docum … ger07.html

Set the slider all the way to the left and then uncheck:

Never Ask Again

Note: You have to reset these settings if for some reason you uninstall flash and reinstall it.

Now since my first post where I recommended Better Privacy I have since found a new add-on that is simple, fast, and lighter and takes the place of three add-ons I used to use. Before, I used Better Privacy, Clear Private Data... +, and Sanitisminau (to get rid of the stupid Clear Data pop-up window when using Clear Private Data... + in 3.6) now I use an add-on called Eraser (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/13009/) which combines all three into a right-click context menu. Just right click from time to time and it's all gone (cookies, flash cookies, history, etc.)

Note: If you try Eraser then I recommend unchecking Close all tabs as it will delete all tabs and tab history even on the tab your on. In essence, it closes all tabs and your immediately back on your home page. Very disconcerting to say the least.

That's how I do it. I know it's not what the author of this post is looking for but it does work.

RkG · 2010-11-09 06:44:42

Alternative easy solution I'm using with no addons install: soft link .adobe and .macromedia folders to /tmp, it gets cleaned on every boot

jocheem67 · 2010-11-09 08:32:19

#!/bin/bash
#
# /etc/rc.local.shutdown: Local shutdown script.
#
rm -f /home/#/.recently-used.xbel.*
rm -f /home/#/.recently-used.xbel
rm -rf /home/#/.macromedia/Flash_Player/#SharedObjects/*
rm -rf /home/#/.macromedia/Flash_Player/macromedia.com/support/flashplayer/sys/*

Works for me....

milomouse · 2010-11-09 16:29:13

Fantastic. I hadn't thought of this before.. but seeing as I use some webkit browsers this will be handy (also eliminating Firefox add-ons). :} I'll certainly play around with these suggestions.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-06-21 11:17:01

[solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#2 2009-06-21 14:36:34

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#3 2009-06-21 15:14:25

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#4 2009-06-22 21:46:20

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#5 2009-06-23 13:19:23

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#6 2009-06-23 18:02:15

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#7 2009-06-23 18:41:41

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#8 2009-06-27 03:36:47

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#9 2010-05-22 16:39:05

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#10 2010-05-23 13:58:07

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#11 2010-11-09 06:44:42

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#12 2010-11-09 08:32:19

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

#13 2010-11-09 16:29:13

Re: [solved] Deactivate macromedia flash "cookies" & stuff

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