Flash Player - HOW OFTEN does it need updating?

[Zak33]

Because I refuse to click "Auto Update" and have remind me instead, I have always updated .. what... every 2 months or so? Roughly that.

But the last month it's been nearly weekly.

And it's Firefox warning me that it's blocking my Flash player on website as it's out of date.

So.. is this Adobe trying to force the "Auto update" issue?

I don't want Free Mcafee or Free whatwever installed ta.


Is there a solution guys?

If I allow auto update, will I end up with loads of other rubbish installed?

[Biscuit]

Im in the same boat mate, things seem to have got seriously annoying with this recently. I wish flash would just go away...

[Zak33]

i feel a little.. cornered.

like Tesco owning all the shops... or Intel having no AMD .... or .... something

[DanceswithUnix]

So.. is this Adobe trying to force the "Auto update" issue?

No, it is because a company in Italy called Hacking Team got pwned, lots of data leaked out including some vulnerabilities. It is a genuine security threat.

You aren't alone in wanting to see the back of Flash, Facebook are saying the same thing. I thought html 5 was supposed to make flash go away, but never mind...

http://arstechnica.co.uk/security/20...lnerabilities/

http://arstechnica.co.uk/security/20...g-team-0-days/

[Bluecube]

Why do we need Flash these days anyway? Seriously. What do you use that needs Flash? I've uninstalled it completely and not noticed its removal.

[Zak33]

I shall try that right now

[Zak33]

iplayer doesnt work without it

nor do the news clips on BBC news

[Zak33]

apart from that it seems ok... I will try life without Flash

[PvtRichardson]

Seems to be mostly on its way out anyway, no harm trying without for a while.

[GuidoLS]

Once again, Adobe releases emergency Flash patch for Hacking Team 0-days
Attack code has already been published, all but assuring exploits will go wild.

Adobe Systems has issued an emergency update for its Flash media player to patch two critical zero-day vulnerabilities that allow attackers to surreptitiously install malware on end-user computers.

The previously unknown vulnerabilities were unearthed in the 400-gigabyte data dump hackers published nine days ago after rooting the servers of Hacking Team, the Italy-based company that sold spyware and exploits to governments around the world. As previously reported, Hacking Team was itself hacked by unknown individuals, who then published e-mails, sales invoices, and marketing material that appeared to contradict long-standing assurances from company executives that they operated ethically and didn't do business with repressive governments.

That was filed at 11:23EDT today.. HERE. (US version of what DanceswithUnix posted - just added some text from the story)

And I sincerely doubt this is even close to the tip of the iceburg.

[Zak33]

I am managing just fine without Flash.. it's coming off my other PC's in a moment

[sammyc]

As it happens I noticed today that a site I visited flagged up flash was out of date, whereas Avast when I asked it to double-check said all fine, so that was a bit weird..

But yes I have noticed more recent update prompts. Currently I update (set at remind me to update so I can de-tick any gubbins) but leave it turned off, since Output put me onto the notion of turn off = force youtube to use html5, and have never looked back ) For the very few instances I do need flash I toggle from the menu bar with a firefox add-on; I used to just set flash itself to ask to activate, but a straight on/off is just as simple.

[GuidoLS]

Ubuntu PC maker System76 abandons Flash, says it’s too dangerous
Vendor won't ship new PCs with Flash, urges users to purge it from existing PCs.

Ubuntu PC maker System76 will stop installing Adobe Flash on its laptops and desktops, saying the software is too dangerous and is no longer necessary."In 2007 System76 was granted a license from Adobe to pre-install Flash on all our laptops and desktops," the company said in a blog post yesterday. "In terms of making a great first impression with our customers, especially those new to Ubuntu, this was an important detail."

But Web content generally works well without Flash these days, and the software has been afflicted by repeated security problems, System76 noted.

Source

Believe it or not, this is kind of a serious thing to take note of. Linux, in general, isn't as vulnerable to the kinds of 0days that have been released as is Windows, but there have been efforts to target that OS. OSX has even proven to be vulnerable. So when a PC maker that specializes in Linux machines makes this step, it's a good idea to pay closer attention, and decide on any real need for Flash, and, to a lesser degree, Acrobat/Reader.

[sammyc]

^ what is the alternative for content that requires it then? if iPlayer as Zak says won't work without (haven't used it lately to notice) then are such sites also looking to ditch it?

[Splash]

Until people refuse to use it, devs will continue to develop for it. Much as I hate Facebook their guy has an excellent point: Adobe need to admit that it's no longer fit for purpose and give it an end of life date. Browser vendors should then send killbits on that day.

It's like a safety blanket to some web content creators, and until that blanket is pulled from them it's always going to be there.




And once we've gotten rid of Flash could we do the same for Java please?

[satrow]

As it happens I noticed today that a site I visited flagged up flash was out of date,...

Consider that a big RED FLAG, there are multiple dodgy versions of Flash waiting to inject crap into your browser/OS!