Adobe Creative Cloud Users On Mac Beware, Bug Deletes User Data

A recent update for the Mac version of Adobe's Creative Cloud software suite has been discovered to contain a bug that results in user files being deleted without permission or warning. The problem is that after users install the 3.5.0.206 update and then log into Creative Cloud, the contents from the first alphabetically listed folder in the root directory are deleted. Users that haven't yet downloaded this update from Adobe can breathe a sigh of relief, as the company has acknowledged the issue and stopped releasing the update.

The bug seems to have been discovered in part by Backblaze, a data backup service, as the company says its users have been impacted more than most. The reason was because the Backblaze service relies on a hidden root folder called ".bzvol," which stores important user data.

That dot at the beginning of their folder name means it was almost always listed first alphabetically in the root directory. That means practically every Backblaze user that downloaded the Creative Cloud update was hit by the bug. Backblaze shared a video, below, that details the issue.

Also troubling is that many Mac users without Backblaze can still be severely affected. Instead of Backblaze's hidden folder, the ".DocumentRevisions-V100" folder will be first in the root directory. This file is used by the Mac's autosave and version history features to store critical data, which can cause system errors if deleted.

Adobe says they are now investigating the bug, but don't have a timeframe for when the issue will be fixed and the update re-released. Creative Cloud users are advised not to download or install the version 3.5.0.206 update. For those who already have, don't log in if possible, while those that need access to the software can create a fake folder in the root directory to avoid issues. Have the name start with ".a" to make sure it appears first alphabetically.

SOURCE ArsTechnica, Backblaze