Updater.exe and LibreOffice

Question

I run LibreOffice and a pop up came up for updater.exe

I said NO to allow updater.exe but when I opened LibreOffice the same pop up to occur.

Is this part of LibreOffice?

Answer 1

Hi,

LibreOffice has a software update available directly for the latest versions. As a precaution, do not grant permission and uninstall the version you are using and install the latest version from the LibreOffice website.

https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download-libreoffice/

To check from within the application, open LibreOffice > Help > Check for Update.

It will identify if you are using an older version or a newer one than 26.2.1.

I recommend you do an analysis with Microsoft's MSRT, analyze Windows Defend Offline scan and Malwarebytes.

MSRT

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=9905

Microsoft Defend:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help-protect-my-pc-with-microsoft-defender-offline-9306d528-64bf-4668-5b80-ff533f183d6c

After the analysis, open the command prompt (admin) and run the commands: sfc /scannow and dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth, wait for the process to finish and restart the computer.

Then perform a clean boot and if you want to uninstall applications that you do not use.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-execute-a-simple-boot-start-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd

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Thanks

Answer 2

Windows will show a "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?" (UAC) prompt whenever a program named updater.exe requests administrative rights. The prompt itself does not identify whether the file is legitimate or malicious; it only shows that something called updater.exe is trying to run with elevated permissions.

The provided information does not state that updater.exe is part of LibreOffice. Many unrelated applications use a generic name like updater.exe, and malware can also use this name. Because of this, treat it as untrusted until its origin is verified.

To reduce risk when unexpected prompts appear:

1. Do not approve the UAC prompt unless the publisher and file location are clearly recognized and expected.
2. If the browser or a web page triggered the pop‑up, close the browser using Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc → end the browser process) and restart the PC. This is a common pattern in tech‑support or scare‑ware scams.
3. Run a full malware scan using Windows Security (Virus & threat protection → Full scan). If anything is detected, follow the removal steps.
4. Ensure pop‑ups and intrusive ads are blocked in the browser and consider using a reputable ad blocker extension to reduce malicious pop‑up activity.

If the updater.exe prompt continues to appear when LibreOffice starts, check the file’s details (right‑click the file → Properties → Digital Signatures/Details) and path. If the publisher is unknown or suspicious, remove or quarantine it using security software.

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References:

• possible virus, computer locked - Microsoft Q&A
• I WAS HACKED - Microsoft Q&A
• storage settings: Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device? - Microsoft Q&A