FlashiconAdobe has released a "critical update" for its Adobe Flash Player software on both Mac and Windows, addressing a zero-day vulnerability that gives complete control over compromised systems to hackers.

The vulnerability affects all Macs with Adobe Flash Player version 12.0.0.43 and earlier and all users are urged to update immediately. Adobe has a site where users can check what version of Flash they have installed. The latest version of Flash can be downloaded from Adobe's website.

Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Flash Player 12.0.0.43 and earlier versions for Windows and Macintosh and Adobe Flash Player 11.2.202.335 and earlier versions for Linux. These updates address a critical vulnerability that could potentially allow an attacker to remotely take control of the affected system. Adobe is aware of reports that an exploit for this vulnerability exists in the wild, and recommends users update their product installations to the latest versions.

These updates resolve an integer underflow vulnerability that could be exploited to execute arbitrary code on the affected system.

Adobe thanked Alexander Polyakov and Anton Ivanov of Kaspersky Labs for discovering the vulnerability, but the company did not specify precisely how it works.

Top Rated Comments

ugahairydawgs Avatar
143 months ago
And people still want to try and give Apple crap for trying to rid us of this hot mess of a format.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lymf Avatar
143 months ago
Seriously Adobe, I haven't seen flash evolving lately, besides for security updates...
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
pgiguere1 Avatar
143 months ago
Can't wait until Flash is not needed at all anymore on any device.
Oh and Silverlight too while we're at it (I'm looking at you Netflix).
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ugahairydawgs Avatar
143 months ago
In other news - a company is responding to an issue with their software to plug a security vulnerability. But yet, some MacRumors posters find a reason to make this a bad thing.
That's because when they update their software its almost always for a security vulnerability. And generally its a fairly massive one.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goodcow Avatar
143 months ago
Why does Adobe insist on naming the file install_flash_player_osx.dmg?

Why can't they append the version number to it?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
centauratlas Avatar
143 months ago
Why do sites continue to use Flash? And why do people wonder why Apple has such problems with Flash (and Adobe)?

I've completely removed it and only run Chrome when I need it.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)