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New Zero-Day Vulnerability Found In Adobe Flash Player (gbhackers.com)
GBHackers On Cyber Security and an anonymous Slashdot reader have shared a story about a new zero-day vulnerability found in Adobe's Flash Player. Bleeping Computer reports: South Korean authorities have issued a warning regarding a brand new Flash zero-day deployed in the wild. According to a security alert issued by the South Korean Computer Emergency Response Team (KR-CERT), the zero-day affects Flash Player installs 28.0.0.137 and earlier. Flash 28.0.0.137 is the current Flash version number.
"An attacker can persuade users to open Microsoft Office documents, web pages, spam e-mails, etc. that contain Flash files that distribute the malicious [Flash] code," KR-CERT said. The malicious code is believed to be a Flash SWF file embedded in MS Word documents. Simon Choi, a security researcher with Hauri Inc., a South Korean security firm, says the zero-day has been made and deployed by North Korean threat actors and used since mid-November 2017. Choi says attackers are trying to infect South Koreans researching North Korea. Adobe said it plans to patch this zero-day on Monday, February 5.
"An attacker can persuade users to open Microsoft Office documents, web pages, spam e-mails, etc. that contain Flash files that distribute the malicious [Flash] code," KR-CERT said. The malicious code is believed to be a Flash SWF file embedded in MS Word documents. Simon Choi, a security researcher with Hauri Inc., a South Korean security firm, says the zero-day has been made and deployed by North Korean threat actors and used since mid-November 2017. Choi says attackers are trying to infect South Koreans researching North Korea. Adobe said it plans to patch this zero-day on Monday, February 5.
I treat Flash itself as potential malware, and consider it to be compromised at all times. Thankfully, these days you hardly ever need it anymore.
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
The problem is that in China, nearly every video website used Flash-based video players.Also, some major e-banking websites require Flash.
I do not know the exact reason, but someone said that Flash-based "web apps" are easier to make and Flash is easier to implement DRM (you know those ____ing sites that do not want you to download those videos by any means unless you sign up and pay)
There are still streaming video sites out there that need Flash.
Including the iView catch-up TV site for the Australian ABC (national government-run broadcaster) which refuses to work without Flash on my Windows 7 PC using any of the browsers I have (including Internet Exploder and Mozilla SeaMonkey)
That said, I do not have the ActiveX version of Flash installed (which is what this exploit is targeting) and I have Flash set in SeaMonkey so it will ask me before activating any Flash content (meaning I can white list those sites that need Flash). So I should be safe from Flash exploits unless someone hacks the iView site to serve out bogus Flash files I should be safe from Flash related nasties :)