Skip to main content

Adobe issues emergency patch for yet another Flash exploit

Have you updated Flash recently? Even if you have, you might want to make sure you’re up to date, as yesterday Adobe issued an emergency patch addressing several critical vulnerabilities that the company says “could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system.”

The vulnerabilities affect those using the plugin in Windows, Mac, and Linux, including those versions provided in browsers like Chrome. And at least one of these bugs is currently known to those who walk on the darker side of the Web, with Adobe saying that the patch fixes an exploit that is being used in “limited, targeted attacks.”

Recommended Videos

While that exploit is singled out as particularly nasty since it can be triggered simply by visiting the wrong website, the rest could be just as dangerous. The vulnerabilities include “13 use-after-free vulnerabilities, four memory corruption vulnerabilities, and one type-confusion vulnerability,” as noted by CSO.

If you’re running anything earlier than Flash version 20.0.0.267, you’ll need to update. If you aren’t sure, head over to Adobe’s About Flash Player page, which will show you the version you’re running. The security bulletin issued by the company provides instructions on how to update the software.

This is far from the first time this year that such a patch has been released. Earlier this year we reported that the Italian spyware firm Hacking Team had itself been hacked. Among the files distributed as a result were multiple major security flaws in Flash that the group had kept to itself in order to use in its work.

These types of vulnerabilities, along with improvements in various alternative Web technologies, have led to many companies deciding to abandon Flash as a whole. Several sites including YouTube have dropped Flash in favor of HTML5 video, while in July, Facebook’s security chief called for Adobe to set an end-of-life date for the aging technology.

It seems that 2015 may have been the beginning of the end for Flash, but what does 2016 hold in store?

Kris Wouk
Former Contributor
Kris Wouk is a tech writer, gadget reviewer, blogger, and whatever it's called when someone makes videos for the web. In his…
The robot takeover comes another step closer — at Amazon
An Amazon robot working inside one of the company's warehouses.

Amazon is close to having more robots operating inside its warehouses than humans after the e-commerce giant announced this week that it now has more than a million robots working at its facilities around the world.

Over the years, Amazon has spent billions of dollars on the development and deployment of warehouse-based robots, which handle an array of tasks once performed by human workers.

Read more
This Lenovo ThinkPad laptop is over $1,400 off — hurry while stocks last!
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 Intel laptop on a white background.

Now's an excellent time to take advantage of laptop deals from Lenovo, which has slashed the prices of a wide range of devices for its Black Friday in July sale. Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops are up to 45% off, and here's one of the most interesting offers available with such a discount — the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 at $1,440 off its estimated value of $3,199, so you'll only have to pay $1,759. That's an excellent price for this fantastic productivity tool, but you're going to have to push forward with your purchase as soon as possible because stocks may run out at any moment.

BUY NOW

Read more
Early Prime Day deal: Samsung’s 27-inch Odyssey G3 at its annual low price
Samsung Odyssey G3 gaming monitor on desk with keyboard and headset.

If you're ready to upgrade your monitor, this Samsung deal over at Amazon just might be your best bet. The 27-inch version of Samsung's Odyssey G3 is $130 right now, a full $100 off its regular $230 price and its lowest price of the year. It's a part of early Prime Day deals and a good sampling of what we can expect for the shopping holiday, which officially lands on July 8th. Tap the button below to see it for yourself or keep reading to see why we like this deal and why this should be your next monitor.

Buy Now

Read more