Adobe Flash Player, once a ubiquitous plugin for web browsers, has become a security concern in recent years. While Adobe has officially ended support for Flash Player, many systems still have it installed. In enterprise environments, managing and removing specific versions of Flash Player is crucial for maintaining security and compliance. This article explains how to remove specific Flash Player versions (ActiveX, NPAPI, and PPAPI) on Windows systems, particularly when using tools like SCCM 2012 R2 for deployment.
Before diving into the removal process, it's essential to understand the different types of Flash Player plugins:
Many administrators face the challenge of removing only specific Flash Player versions. For example, you might want to remove the NPAPI version from computers that don't have Firefox or Opera installed, while keeping the ActiveX version for compatibility with legacy web applications in Internet Explorer.
Adobe provides a dedicated uninstaller for Flash Player, but the standard version removes all installed Flash Player types at once. To remove specific versions, you need to use command-line arguments with the uninstaller.
The Adobe Flash Player uninstaller (uninstall_flash_player.exe) supports the following command-line arguments to remove specific player types on Windows:
ActiveX Control:
uninstall_flash_player.exe -uninstall activex
NPAPI Plugin:
uninstall_flash_player.exe -uninstall plugin
PPAPI Plugin:
uninstall_flash_player.exe -uninstall pepperplugin
These commands allow you to target and remove only the Flash Player versions you specify, leaving the others untouched.
On Windows 8 and later, Microsoft embeds Flash Player in Internet Explorer and Edge. The Adobe Flash Player uninstaller will not remove this embedded version of Flash Player ActiveX control. Updates for this embedded version are released by Microsoft through Windows Update.
Download the Adobe Flash Player Uninstaller:
Extract the Uninstaller:
uninstall_flash_player.exe file to a convenient location.Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
cmd, right-click on "Command Prompt," and select "Run as administrator."Navigate to the Uninstaller Location:
cd command to navigate to the directory where you extracted the uninstall_flash_player.exe file. For example:cd C:\Users\YourUsername\Downloads
Execute the Removal Command:
Based on the Flash Player version you want to remove, run the appropriate command:
uninstall_flash_player.exe -uninstall activex
uninstall_flash_player.exe -uninstall plugin
uninstall_flash_player.exe -uninstall pepperplugin
Verify Removal:
For enterprise environments, you can use SCCM 2012 R2 to automate the removal process across multiple computers. Here’s how:
Create a Package:
uninstall_flash_player.exe file.Create a Program:
Create a new program within the package, specifying the appropriate command-line argument for the Flash Player version you want to remove. For example, to remove the NPAPI version:
uninstall_flash_player.exe -uninstall pluginDeploy the Program:
Removing specific Flash Player versions can be a nuanced task, but by using the Adobe Flash Player uninstaller with the correct command-line arguments, you can effectively manage Flash Player installations in your environment. When combined with deployment tools like SCCM 2012 R2, this approach allows for efficient and targeted removal of Flash Player versions, improving the security posture of your systems.
