Just to let anyone at Intuit who might care know the latest observations:

Backup updates still can't actually be run automatically in the background without user engagement.  Even the release letter for the latest update states this:

"Background updates
No more interruptions or re-start downtime due to product updates! Lacerte will now autocheck for product updates and have downloads ready for installation when you are. Preview what’s included in the release and choose to install now or later. Effortlessly stay up-to-date with the latest Lacerte version!"

Emphasis added - Folks, any time you have the word "choose", you mean that there's a user engagement.  That's not how "background" works.  

An additional note while I'm ranting...If it HAS to be interactive, can't the app check for and offer to install updates BEFORE the user goes through the process of logging on and providing MFA?  Sometimes I'd love to let the Help Desk guys update the app without having every single one of them have to have an Intuit logon in order to do so.