Emergency Flash Update Addresses Active Malware Attacks

Adobe released an emergency update for Flash on Thursday to address two security issues that are already being exploited by hackers. One of the threats targets Safari and Firefox on the Mac and could let attackers take control of victim's systems.

Adobe released an out-of-cycle Flash update to block malware attacksAdobe released an out-of-cycle Flash update to block malware attacks

The vulnerability lets attackers use Flash to deliver the malware payload when visiting websites, and Adobe is advising Flash users to update to version 11.5.502.149 as soon as possible. The second vulnerability targets Windows users by including maliciously crafted Flash content in Word documents.

Firefox users are susceptible to the vulnerabilty despite the browser's feature that can prevent multimedia content from playing until clicked because Flash isn't blocked from auto-playing, unlike Java and QuickTime.

Users can download Flash 11.5.502.149 at the Adobe Website, and Safari may show a warning that Flash has been disabled along with a download option. The Adobe Website also offers a tool to verify which Flash version is currently running on your computer.

As always, we advise staying away from dubious and unfamiliar Websites.