BleepingComputer.com: Need To Update Flash? What Settings In Settings Manager?

Hi,

I don't really use Flash except for when an occasional webpage has something on it, I guess...

I just checked and see that I have Flash Version 9,0,28,0. The latest version on the Flash website is 9,0,47,0.

1. I thought I read something about there being security vulnerabilities in older versions of Flash? Would this effect me? Should I update to the newest version? (Are there any downsides to updating?) Or am I okay with my current version?

2. If I do update, do I need to download/run the Flash uninstaller first? Then download/install the newest version of Flash?

3. I'm also wondering what are the best/safest settings to have on each tab of the Flash Settings Manager:
http://www.macromedia.com/support/document..._manager02.html

(I didn't even realize such a think existed until this morning -- and am wondering if I may have "unsafe" settings currently...)

4. I use Firefox, so I don't think I even have Flash installed for IE (so I wasn't going to bother downloading the one for that). But how can I make sure I don't have Flash for IE installed currently?

Any help is appreciated -- thanks!

This post has been edited by bloomcounty: 07 September 2007 - 11:59 AM

1. I cant help you with this one but I will say that most companies recommend their newest versions because they usually include security patchs or other updates.

2. I'm not a hundred percent clear on what your asking here but you click the link on this site here to download the installer.
http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/do...mp;promoid=BIOW

When it is completely finished downloading, doubleclick the installer icon.

Or maybe you were looking specifically for this

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:7

Its the second one down. This is the flash player firefox add-on from the Mozilla website.
*****I just checked the second link, it only redirects you to the first one.

3. I would set all of the options you can to ask. That way if a legitimate Flash object is used you can approve it. If you typing an email (for example) and a suspicious flash alert pops up, you can kill it by denying it. (A small popup box will appear each time a flash object is present.

Under the storage options it is up to you how much data you allow to be stored on your computer. I would recommend that you allow no data to be stored. The downside to this is that the Flash videos may take longer to load.

For the next two tabs I would set these at Ask again for the reasons stated above.

The automatic updates are a preference issue.

For Privacy Settings, again I would set all to ask. I frequent youtube, so I set that site only to always allow.

For the final storage setting option, again, Always Ask. I made another exception here for youtube. This, I found, make youtube faster while streaming.

4. If you open up internet explorer and go to http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/about/
it will tell you your flash player version in a small grey box in the middle of the page.

Hope i pointed you in the right direction.

This post has been edited by DanC1186: 08 September 2007 - 01:23 PM

Hi, Dan. Thanks for the post!

DanC1186, on Sep 8 2007, 11:20 AM, said:

This is what I saw:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic100269.html

Since I have Version 9,0,28,0, I figure this would apply to me then. (Which tg comfirmed.)

DanC1186, on Sep 8 2007, 11:20 AM, said:

It actually says you should uninstall your current version of Flash before updating to the newest version. So there's an uninstaller that you're supposed to download (which I did). Just wanted to make sure that was the right thing to do -- but it seems it is! (tg also verified this for me.)

I'll follow all your suggestions for settings (never even realized there were settings until the other day!).

Hopefully I haven't fallen victim to anything by not having updated Flash until now (since I just found out about it the other day). Any way to be sure? What problems would it cause?

Thanks for all the help, Dan!