Flash Just Patched a Huge Security Flaw, Go Update it Right Now
Adobe just patched up a gaping security flaw that could affect anyone who logs on to eBay, Tumblr, Instagram, or other popular sites. If you’re a person who visits any of those domains (or really, any website out there that might use Flash), you really should update your stuff right now.
Basically, the flaw—which security blogger Michele Spagnuolo says has been well known in the infosec community—made it possible for hackers to steal the cookies that authenticate returning users on sites like eBay, Twitter, Tumblr, and thousands more. Spagnuolo says that so far, no tools have been made public to exploit the fluke. Since there was no proof of concept that the exploit could work, “this led websites owners and even big players in the industry to postpone any mitigation until a credible proof of concept was provided,” Spagnuolo says.
Michael Sauers is the Technology Manager for Do Space in Omaha, NE. After earning his MLS in 1995 from the University at Albany's School of Information Science and Policy Michael spent his first 20 years as a librarian training other librarians in technology along with time as a public library trustee, a bookstore manager for a library friends group, a reference librarian, a technology consultant, and a bookseller. He has written dozens of articles for various journals and magazines and has published 14 books ranging from library technology, blogging, Web design, and an index to a popular horror magazine. In his spare time, he blogs at TravelinLibrarian.info, runs The Collector's Guide to Dean Koontz website at CollectingKoontz.com, takes many, many photos, and typically reads more than 100 books a year.
View all posts by Michael Sauers
Adobe just patched up a gaping security flaw that could affect anyone who logs on to eBay, Tumblr, Instagram, or other popular sites. If you’re a person who visits any of those domains (or really, any website out there that might use Flash), you really should update your stuff right now.
