Another week, another critical security flaw in Adobe Flash. This one isn’t quite as bad as the flaw found last year, but it’s close. If you haven’t been following the trials and tribulations of Adobe’s beleaguered Flash Player, last year, the company unearthed so many critical security flaws in their system that the best advice they could offer users was to simply uninstall the software until they could address them all.
Now, additional security flaws have surfaced. The company has already released an update for it, and is advising all users, regardless of operating system, to update immediately. Failing to do so puts your system at risk. Hackers can use this latest exploit to take complete control over whatever device is running the non-updated version of the Flash Player.
This is but the latest in a very long line of security issues with the software, and most experts agree that Flash Player’s days are numbered. Already, a significant percentage of websites are moving away for the platform, and with good reason. It was a splendid idea, and in many ways, ahead of its time, but the unfortunate reality is that it just opens too many potential doors to your system, making it likely that hackers will find a way in.
If you rely on Flash Player in the conduct of your business, your best move is to update immediately, per the company’s instructions. If you don’t use it, then you’re better off simply uninstalling it, as it represents one of the largest potential threats to your system’s security, not because the software itself is in any way bad, but simply because it makes it too easy for hackers to gain access to your critical data.
If you’re not sure whether you need it, consult with our team and we can evaluate your internet usage needs, and advise accordingly.
