Adobe announces new Flash security vulnerability
On Sept. 13, Adobe Systems released a security advisory detailing a vulnerability in its Flash Player 10.1.82.76 for earlier versions of Windows, Mac, Linux and Solaris, and Adobe Flash Player 10.1.92.10 for Android. The vulnerability also affects Adobe Reader 9.3.4 for Windows, Macintosh and Unix and Adobe Acrobat 9.3.4 for earlier versions of Windows and Macintosh. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service crash and execute a code to take control of your system by delivering this malicious code through a specially crafted PDF or Flash file.
For WoW players, this can mean infection by keyloggers that could potentially steal your login information and compromise your account.
Adobe Systems is working on a patch to stop this type of attack from being possible and plans to make it available the week of Sept. 27, with plans to update Adobe Reader 9.3.4 and Adobe Acrobat 9.3.4 the week of Oct. 4.
The good news is the security breach requires you to actively interact with the infected file, and as a result, there are many things you can do to stay safe from this type of exploit.
Always make sure your software is up to date by patching whenever a patch is made available. Adobe releases regular updates, and making sure you have your program patched can help keep you safe.
Never trust file downloads from emails you don't recognize or click on links to sites you aren't 100 percent sure about. Err on the side of caution.
If you don't have one, pick up an authenticator for your account to add an extra layer of security to your Battle.net accounts. Authenticators come as a keyfob for a small price or in a mobile version for free.
Run a PDF and flash blocker such as NoScript or enable secured browsing features in your preferred browser's settings.
Surf with caution -- remember, even the most cautious of people can still get hacked by accidentally downloading a keylogger by visiting the wrong site or clicking the wrong link. Make sure you are protected with trusted anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Be sure that your protection is up to date, and actively run scans. Having the latest security definitions goes a long way to keeping these types of exploits from being possible.
For more information regarding the Flash security issue, visit the Adobe Security Advisory site.
