Ramblings of an old Doc

 

Looks like Mozilla has finally said enough to Adobe, and this might just trigger a cascade of similar actions in other browsers, as well.

Because of the exploit kits available and the recent security vulnerabilities discovered in Adobe Flash, Mozilla therefore has added the current version of Adobe Flash and all previous versions to the browser's blocklist to protect its users (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/blocked/p946) The Flash vulnerability affects all versions of Flash on Windows, Linux and Macintosh systems.

So, Mozilla added the choice option (“Ask to Activate”).

The difference between "ask to activate" and "never activate" is that Flash is not blocked completely in the former state which means that Flash contents can still be accessed in the browser. While that requires an extra click, it ensures that code on websites cannot exploit the vulnerability automatically without user action.

Options to switch the state are not available due to Flash being on the browser's blocklist.

Firefox displays a warning in the browser whenever Flash contents are embedded on a web page. If selected, Flash contents will be loaded and can be used just like before.” – gHacks

So, if you use Firefox and see blocking on web pages, it’s a sign that your version of Adobe Flash Player is outdated and insecure: Update it! Don’t allow a previous version to play as it is insecure.

Source:

http://www.ghacks.net/2015/07/14/mozilla-blocks-all-versions-of-adobe-flash-in-firefox/?_m=3n%2e0038%2e1668%2ehj0ao01hy5%2e1qdz


Comments
on Jul 14, 2015

the current version is 209, the block is for 203 and below. go. update.


https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1182751

on Jul 14, 2015

alaknebs

the current version is 209, the block is for 203 and below. go. update.

where is this version located? I can only find up to version 18.

on Jul 14, 2015

Quoting alaknebs,

the current version is 209, the block is for 203 and below. go. update.



where is this version located? I can only find up to version 18.

I went to Adobe.com and found it there.  Once you get to the site click on menu. 

on Jul 14, 2015

dang, I was looking for a ver. 209.xx.xx.xxx, or never mind.

on Jul 14, 2015

sorry. 18.0.0.209

don't forget to untick all the mcafee crap and remember to update all the versions that you need (ie - pre metro anyway, firefox)

 

ps..

http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/   

tells you which version is the latest.. and if you go to the flash player part of control panel (win) it'll tell you what version you have for which plugin.

on Jul 14, 2015

Mozilla has just blocked ALL versions of Flash.  Just tried to update my Firefox plugin - will not install .209.  Article up at iClarified about Mozilla's decision: link

Disabled .209 in Pale Moon, Chrome & IE since the Mozilla folks appear to be quite serious about all this.

on Jul 15, 2015

i don't think that's true. problem with news sites is that they don't update fast enough to keep up with current stuff

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/blocked/

only 203 and before are blocked..... 209 is okish till the next hole is found (no doubt soon!)

 

---

no idea why 209 won't install for you.. maybe you should uninstall it completely and only use flash in chrome? (seeing as it simply autoupdates...)

on Jul 15, 2015

Daiwa

Article up at iClarified about Mozilla's decision: link

"BIG NEWS!! All versions of Flash are blocked by default in Firefox as of now. 

However, Schmidt noted that this does not mean that Flash will be blocked by default going forward

To be clear, Flash is only blocked until Adobe releases a version which isn't being actively exploited by publicly known vulnerabilities."

 

Which clarifies a whole lot...so now Flash is blocked until Adobe puts out a secure version, which will be promptly hacked, and then blocked again.

As we said...please, devs: Stop with Flash...and go to HTML5?

PLEASE!

 

on Jul 15, 2015

A little irony to this story (at least, mine) - the site where I saw the article announcing Mozilla had disabled all versions of flash, iClarified...

wait for it...

must rely on Flash for a bunch of its content, because of bunch of it is now missing with Flash blocked.

on Jul 15, 2015

alaknebs -

Don't see a way to uninstall Flash in FF, it's just disabled by default (.106).  Going through the FF process of updating the plugin runs to completion with Adobe offering up .206 but after installation is 'finished', FF still shows .106, disabled by default.

.206 installed in Pale Moon without a problem, though.  Since disabled voluntarily, but it did install.

on Jul 15, 2015

i meant uninstall flash via control panel>program and features>adobe flash player 18 npapi

i don't know what .206 is... afaik, there was .203 for windows and then .209 (there was a .204 for chromium on linux i think.. irrelevant)

 

that said, i would imagine palemoon and firefox would be using the same plugin...

on Jul 15, 2015

Lose Flash? Great idea! Monday night it left my home computer, Tuesday morning booted off my work computer. So far the only thing I've found needing it is Hulu. But I can just switch to Chrome with its built in version for that website and any others that may need it. Also I like that Chrome now has it as automatically needing to click-to-run all flash content. Oh, guess that means Flashblock in Firefox can get deleted now as well, excellent.

Flash joining Java on the scrap heap, ahhh, wish I would have done it a bit sooner.

on Jul 15, 2015

DrJBHL

As we said...please, devs: Stop with Flash...and go to HTML5?

Either way I will block where I can. I really find the videos that play when you open a site pretty annoying. I'm using "no script" now and that works probably better than I want, but it's liveable.

on Jul 15, 2015

My bad - should have been .209 in above reply.  Version listed in Programs & Features is .203.  Go figure.  Version 14 was still there, too.  Nuked 'em.  Thought the plugins were browser specific, though.

iClarified glitch turns out was coincidental - site displays normally now with Flash gone.