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Adobe Flash Player

0

06Honda

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 25, 2011
247
4
I received an update today for this and was wondering if it is okay to install it. Its a popup box for the update and does not show in the normal location that other updates are found under SystemPreferences/Software update. I think this is normal for flash player but just want to make sure. Thanks for your help.

Paul
 
i installed it, seems fine.

Note: you might want to make the thread title more descriptive. Adobe flash is a big area.
 
While it is normal, that Adobe Flash updates do not show up in Software Update, there is a trojan, that looks like a Flash installer.
To get official and un-compromised Flash updates, go to: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/


Currently there are zero viruses affecting Mac OS X in public circulation, but there are other kinds of malware existing, that can infect your Mac.
But as long as you don't install software from unknown and untrusted sources, you are safe, as malware needs administrative permissions to run successfully, which means, you need to install the malware yourself, it can't install itself (one of the reasons, why a Mac OS X virus hasn't appeared yet).
To learn more about malware in Mac OS X and what steps can be taken to protect yourself, read the following F.A.Q.:
 
Thanks for all the great feedback, learned lots about my Mac this am. Good info on the Trojan look alike :eek:
 
06Honda said:
Thanks for all the great feedback, learned lots about my Mac this am. Good info on the Trojan look alike :eek:
Click to expand...
It's always a good practice to take care when installing updates, and never install anything that pops up unexpectedly when browsing. For Flash Player, it's safest to go directly to the Adobe site to get updates.

Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released over 10 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided by practicing safe computing (see below). Also, Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion have anti-malware protection built in, further reducing the need for 3rd party antivirus apps.
  1. Make sure your built-in Mac firewall is enabled in System Preferences > Security > Firewall

  2. Uncheck "Open "safe" files after downloading" in Safari > Preferences > General

  3. Disable Java in your browser. (For Safari users, uncheck "Enable Java" in Safari > Preferences > Security.) This will protect you from malware that exploits Java in your browser, including the recent Flashback trojan. Leave this unchecked until you visit a trusted site that requires Java, then re-enable only for the duration of your visit to that site. (This is not to be confused with JavaScript, which you should leave enabled.)

  4. Change your DNS servers to OpenDNS servers by reading this.

  5. Be careful to only install software from trusted, reputable sites. Never install pirated software. If you're not sure about an app, ask in this forum before installing.

  6. Never let someone else have access to install anything on your Mac.

  7. Don't open files that you receive from unknown or untrusted sources.

  8. For added security, make sure all network, email, financial and other important passwords are long and complex, including upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.

  9. Always keep your Mac and application software updated. Use Software Update for your Mac software. For other software, it's safer to get updates from the developer's site or from the menu item "Check for updates", rather than installing from any notification window that pops up while you're surfing the web.
That's all you need to do to keep your Mac completely free of any virus, trojan, spyware, keylogger, or other malware. You don't need any 3rd party software to keep your Mac secure.
 
Great post on the security features of a mac. Followed them and were all secure, thanks.
 
Nermal said:
You should use your ISP's DNS servers as using others can negatively impact the performance of CDNs.

http://robert.accettura.com/blog/2010/12/30/dns-and-cdn-performance-implications/
Click to expand...
The recommendation to use OpenDNS isn't for performance, but for protection, as they block the Flashback trojan. That's not necessarily true for all DNS servers. If performance is paramount, namebench will help you find the optimum DNS servers for your location, although there's no assurance that such servers will aid in preventing exposure to any malware.
 
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