Alert about Adobe flash!

[donetao]

Not a fan of CNET, but you should read this about Adobe flash!!

http://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-determine-if-a-flash-update-notification-is-legitimate/

[donetao]

Hi! You can read about the virus here!!

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1435362

[donetao]

The “Flash Player Update” pop-ups happens regardless of the web browser or search engine, and if you are seeing a pop-up from a website saying that a “Flash Player Update” is required, then your computer may be infected with adware or a potentially unwanted program.

This infection is designed specifically to make money. It generates web traffic, collects sales leads for other dubious sites, and will display advertisements and sponsored links within your web browser.

 

“Flash Player Update” pop-up ads are distributed via adware or other malicious programs. Malicious websites, or legitimate websites that have been compromised, may display this pop-up ads within your web browser.

On these infected or compromised websites, cyber criminals will display a pop-up box stating that you need to updated or install a piece of software. If you click on the “Download” or “Click to install now” button, instead of installing an update, you’ll agree to download an adwar or a malicious programs onto your computer.

[DSTM]

The “Flash Player Update” pop-ups happens regardless of the web browser or search engine, and if you are seeing a pop-up from a website saying that a “Flash Player Update” is required, then your computer may be infected with adware or a potentially unwanted program.

.

 

I am most certainly not at this point. I disagree.

Only if you continue, you run the risk of infection and a good AV will catch it anyway.

Get out of the site and find an alternative.

[donetao]

I am most certainly not at this point. I disagree.

Only if you continue, you run the risk of infection and a good AV will catch it anyway.

Get out of the site and find an alternative.

I'm not a trained malware fighter. I just know what I'm reading from Adobe andfrom other sources, and what I have seen here at Golden Oaks!

[AWS]

I don't have flash installed. Haven't trusted it for at least 3 years now. I also don't have java installed. Even though I don't have flash installed I can still view YouTube videos as well as videos from many of the sites that offer them. Flash is and has been for a few years a security nightmare.

 

These video site are going away from flash and using html 5 video embeddings. If you don't have flash installed then you get the html 5 version of the site.

[donetao]

I don't have flash installed. Haven't trusted it for at least 3 years now. I also don't have java installed. Even though I don't have flash installed I can still view YouTube videos as well as videos from many of the sites that offer them. Flash is and has been for a few years a security nightmare.

Hi Boss! The way I'm understanding this, you don't need to have it installed to get infected, but I could be wrong. Some how your browser gets infected. Sorry I don't know more. I will do some more research latter!!

[AWS]

Since I don't have it installed I don't click on any upgrade warnings I might get.

[DSTM]

I watch a lot of video tutorials and a lot remain black unless Flash Player is installed.

 

[donetao]

Since I don't have it installed I don't click on any upgrade warnings I might get.

That's good advise and I'm trying to teach seniors not to click the Adobe up date and to call me. Adobe is the only one that I have heard of, but I'll keep my ears and eyes open. I'm sure there will be more copy cats. Google Chrome seems to be the target so far. I would guess because it has become so popular,but I don't know that! Haven't heard of any fix. Just don't click on it!! Adobe is a magnet for malware spreaders.

[AWS]

I watch a lot of video tutorials and a lot remain black unless Flash Player is installed.

 

I haven't seen that in a while. Last time was when I did have flash installed. I am in the process of watching a bunch of videos to learn the nuances of the Rudy programming language and haven't had problems with any of them.

[AWS]

Dougie, do you use Windows 8 by chance?

[DSTM]

I use Windows7 SP1 as default OS, Bob.

I have Windows8.1 as well but seldom use it.

I have Flash Player installed at the moment. A lot of times Flash Player stops working and have to reinstall.

Wish there was a stable alternative.

[donetao]

No sir! I run W7 but I worked on a PC with W8. The computer was infected really bad. The senior asked me how that could have happen. She was using windows defender Anti-Virus. I said jokingly you must have clicked on a porn site. She said the only thing she clicked on was a adobe up date. At the time I was unaware that that was a causing all these problems. I cleaned up the PC, but the Adobe update popped up again on Google Chrome and was infected again. I cleaned it a gain and uninstalled Chrome. Every thing seemed to be alright. She told me she would in stall Firefox latter. I haven't heard from her, so I assume all is well.That's all I know. It happened on another PC also and I did the same thing to clear it up. It was W7. It doesn't seem to be happening on IE or Firefox so far!!

Dougie, do you use Windows 8 by chance?

[AWS]

I use Windows7 SP1 as default OS, Bob.

I have Windows8.1 as well but seldom use it.

I have Flash Player installed at the moment. A lot of times Flash Player stops working and have to reinstall.

Wish there was a stable alternative.

Windows 8 has it's own flash player. You shouldn't even need to install flash.

 

Most websites that offer video have moved away from flash because of the non-stop security issues.

[donetao]

I have been able to clear this up with Malwarebytes free, Adwcleaner and JTR. I have sense learned I need to reset the browsers.

Sorry Didn't mean to interfere!!

[DSTM]

Windows 8 has it's own flash player. You shouldn't even need to install flash.

 

Most websites that offer video have moved away from flash because of the non-stop security issues.

 

I am not struck on Windows 8.1 and if I used it I guess I wouldn't be having issues I am experiencing.

 

I am a Windows 10 Tester and waiting for that OS as I think it will be a good OS when finally released to the public.

 

I think the Chrome Browser also has it's own inbuilt Player as well. Won't use Chrome.

 

Thanks Bob for your sound advice.

 

@donetao.

They are all good programs you mention.

I use them myself.

[donetao]

I have seen on other help forums where the OP is told to uninstall Chrome because If has been corrupted and then reinstall Chrome

I personally don't like Chrome and It seems to me that it has become a target for this malware attack. This is all over the internet! I think MBAM is aware of this!!

http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/fake-adobe-flash-update-installs-ransomware-performs-click-fraud

https://blog.malwarebytes.org/exploits-2/2015/01/new-adobe-flash-zero-day-found-in-the-wild/

 

Security researcher Kafeine has discovered a Zero-Day in Adobe Flash Player distributed through the Angler Exploit Kit. An Oday is an exploit for a vulnerability that has not been patched yet, meaning that even the most up-to-date systems could get infected.

 

[Edit: the vulnerability has now been assigned CVE-2015-0311]

 

Flash has been plagued with critical vulnerabilities in the past few months and surpassed the no longer popular Java as the most exploited plugin.

 

We immediately got our hands on this new Zero-Day (thanks Kafeine) and were able to replay it as well with the goal of testing our Anti-Exploit product:

 

 

With the latest version of Internet Explorer (IE11) and latest version of Flash (16.0.0.257), the exploit was successfully blocked by Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit.

 

 

Security researcher Kafeine has discovered a Zero-Day in Adobe Flash Player distributed through the Angler Exploit Kit. An Oday is an exploit for a vulnerability that has not been patched yet, meaning that even the most up-to-date systems could get infected.

 

[Edit: the vulnerability has now been assigned CVE-2015-0311]

 

Flash has been plagued with critical vulnerabilities in the past few months and surpassed the no longer popular Java as the most exploited plugin.

 

We immediately got our hands on this new Zero-Day (thanks Kafeine) and were able to replay it as well with the goal of testing our Anti-Exploit product.

 

 

With the latest version of Internet Explorer (IE11) and latest version of Flash (16.0.0.257), the exploit was successfully blocked by Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit.

Edited February 8, 2015 by donetao

[donetao]

That's the best I can do for now!! I have Malware Anti-Expolit installed and I guess that's why I have escaped this???

https://www.malwarebytes.org/antiexploit/

Edited February 8, 2015 by donetao

[Rich-M]

Let's get this straight OK?

Windows 8 has integrated Adobe Flash Player into Windows and into IE. Not some other version of Flash. Adobe is there and is embedded

so no reason to install it and Bob if you mare using Windows 8 then you are using Adobe Flash Player unless you are using Firefox and didn't install it to FF.

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/05/windows-8-will-integrate-include-adobe-flash/

 

Google Chrome also has always carried with its install Adobe Flash Player so again no need to install it to Chrome it is already there.

Chrome also has Java built into it and auto updates itself and same.

https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/flash-player-google-chrome.html

 

I know many people fear Chrome because of its association with Google but I have to say of all the browsers, and this is my opinion only,

I have less issues with Chrome than any other. I was a long time FF user and still use Pale Moon as a backup browser and like it a lot, but most 64 bit versions of Windows have been plagued with Java and Flash issues since day 1 and I am not yet convinced those issues are over, but most websites today use either Adobe Flash Player and/or Java and Chrome does work better with those than any other in my estimation and what I like the most is you never see the upgrades as they are automatic so if you do, you are most likely seeing the Malware versions if you are on Chrome. The one thing I believe but cannot find where I read it is that the Fake "Flash Player" does not say Adobe so I am not quite sure where you are showing it with Adobe in it donatao unless that has changed recently.

[allheart55 Cindy E]

This is actually what the fake one looks like not the one above. It does not say that it is Adobe.

 

[AWS]

I have no trace of any Adobe products on my system except for PhotoShop so if flash is embedded MS did a good job hiding it.

 

I don't have the plugin installed on Firefox and have never had a problem viewing videos on any site. I haven't had flash installed since I had to clean my wifes laptop after she got infected by doing a speedtest at speedtest.net when they were compromised a couple years ago.

 

I do know that IE 10 will render HTML 5 videos and doesn not use Adobe flash.

 

See this info page at YouTube https://www.youtube.com/html5 which I got by right clicking the video and selecting about HTML 5 viewer. No Adobe mention seen. I also get that in Firefox.

[AWS]

To add. Maybe if you have flash installed you'll get the video rendered in flash player instead. Since I don't I get the HTML player.

[allheart55 Cindy E]

To add. Maybe if you have flash installed you'll get the video rendered in flash player instead. Since I don't I get the HTML player.

That's exactly right, Bob.

[allheart55 Cindy E]

Using your link Bob, I just selected the HTML player as default. It works perfectly. Thanks!