IBM: Businesses Need Flash Apps Replaced By HTML5

Companies that offer Flash applications are wise to that HTML5 to convert, since the call for an internet browser without plug-ins is getting stronger, says David Strom IBM. Strom pointing to newer versions of Chrome and Firefox that no longer support the old NPAPI plug-sustaining nature. The main reasons for this are security and performance issues.

Recently, Mozilla announced that it is supporting the Java browser plug-in will cease altogether. However, there is a plug-in that is still supported, and that's Adobe Flash Player. Increasingly parties, however, are calling for an alternative, so that Internet users do not need more plug-ins to view online content or use. So pleaded Facebook CSO Alex Stamos before the end of the Flash technology.

According to Strom, this is not a new trend, since the appearance of the first Apple iPad without Flash support organizations have attempted to create websites with HTML5, the intended successor of Flash. This year, however, HTML5 can make its breakthrough, according to security evangelist at IBM. He argues that the time has come for organizations and companies for their Flash based apps to HTML5 to convert.

Update 450 Million Users Shockwave Player

More than 450 million people get from Adobe advised to install an important update for Shockwave Player within 72 hours. Shockwave, not to be confused with Flash Player is a browser plug-in, for example to play games. According to Adobe runs on more than 450 million systems.

The now discovered vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the computer. Visiting a hacked or malicious website is enough in this case, no further action is required. Adobe makes installing the update, then the highest priority with a time window of up to 72 hours is recommended. One problem with Shockwave is that it does not have an automatic update feature. Users will also have Adobe Shockwave Player 12.2.1.171 using the Adobe website must install to have the most recent version in which the problem is solved.

Firefox Stops Java Support, But Flash Continues To Support

Like Google and Microsoft will also stop supporting Mozilla based on NPAPI plug-ins, but for Adobe Flash Player is an exception. According to Mozilla are plug-ins that the old Netscape Plug-in API (NPAPI) use responsible for performance issues, crashes and security incidents.

End 2016 Mozilla also wants to stop the support for most NPAPI plugins in Firefox. A process that was initiated some years ago, by letting users activate these plug-ins manually. In addition, the new 64-bit Firefox for Windows platform will be launched entirely without support plug-ins, because it is no longer needed by the browser developer.

Because Adobe Flash Player on so many websites use Mozilla continues this plug-in, as an exception to the rule, do support. "Mozilla and Adobe will continue to work to make improvements to the Flash experience within Firefox, among others in terms of stability and performance, and security features," said Mozilla's Benjamin Smedberg.

Java

He advises websites that use plugins such as Silverlight and Oracle Java to switch to web technologies. These plug-ins will be late next year would no longer supported. In the event websites can not be without, for example Java advised to develop the required features as a Firefox extension. In order to end of Java within Firefox run smoothly cooperates with Oracle there. So advises Oracle now on websites instead of Java applets, plug-in free solution such as Java Web Start to use.

Android Version Firefox Receives Click-To-Play For Images

To save bandwidth and ensuring that websites load faster Mozilla has released an early test version of Firefox 44 for Android added click-to-play for images. Click-to-play is a mechanism that the browser is now used to activate browser plug-ins.

A user in this case will have to make an extra click before a Web browser plug-in can call. This should prevent users automatically via vulnerable browser plug-ins can be attacked because the user still needs to activate the plug-in. Click-to-play for images but works slightly different and mainly saving data traffic and faster loading websites as the reason. In case an image for a larger view links provides a single tap on the screen that the bigger picture is loaded.

A long tap on the image displays the context menu in which the user can then choose to display the image. The option currently applies to separate images. A user will be on a site with multiple images therefore have to tap several times before the images are displayed on the page, says Soren Hentzschel who discovered the feature. Click-to-play for images present in the Nightly version of Firefox 44 and must itself be activated by users.

Porn XHamster Spread Malware Weather

For the third time in a year there are again infected ads on the most popular porn xHamster published that attempted to infect visitors with malware. XHamster receives nearly half a billion monthly visitors and is on the 71st place of most visited websites on the internet.

The infected ads first carried out various checks. Thus, it ensures that the visitor Internet Explorer and certain security tools such as Wireshark and Fiddler active, said anti-malware company Malwarebytes. In case it IE users without said security tools went unnoticed was a page loaded with the Nuclear-exploitkit. This exploitkit uses known vulnerabilities include Adobe Flash Player and Internet Explorer users have not patched.

In the case the attack was successful was ransomware and other malware installed. After being informed removed the ad network TrafficHaus infected ads. A few days later appeared again malicious ads on xHamster. This time the browser was based Brow lock ransomware spread. This ransomware is not on the computer, but locks the browser via a special JavaScript and states that the user must pay to get access again.

Again TrafficHaus was informed. Malwarebytes but does not know if the second round with malicious ads has been removed. In January and April also appeared already contaminated ads on xHamster.

Exploit Kit Infects 1.3 Million Computers Through Advertisements

The past six weeks have been about 1.3 million Internet users become infected because they are contaminated classifieds websites visited and had not patched their software. That leaves security firm Trustwave know . The ads redirect users to a new version of the RIG 3.0 exploitkit. This exploitkit uses vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player and Windows to infect users with malware. Especially vulnerabilities in Flash Player resulted in a lot of infections.

It is in this case for known vulnerabilities for which updates are available. In total, users would through compromised 3.5 million times ads have been forwarded to the exploitkit, resulting to 1.25 million infections. That equates to an average of 27,000 infections each day and a success rate of 34%. In addition, only traffic from Internet Explorer users redirected to the exploitkit.

Traffic originating from other operating systems and browsers is filtered by the cyber criminals. Once infected computers are then equipped with additional malware such as spambots and ransomware. To protect themselves against this type of attack Trustwave recommends users update their software, and specifically their browser and plug-ins. In addition, the use of click-to-play recommended browsers.

Flash Player Users Also Attacked Outside Browser

Due to the recent security issues with Adobe Flash Player, there are users who have disabled the plugin in their browser or only accessed via click-to-play, but whoever Flash Player on their computer installed can also be attacked outside the browser. That says Trend Micro.

The attackers embed in this case a Flash file into a Word document. Once the user opens the document in the Flash file will attempt to exploit a vulnerability in Flash Player and so to install malware on the computer. This attack method is already some time used and is not new. Recently, Trend Micro, however, attacks seen where the tactic was used again.

It was to contain emails that seemed to come from the Government of Taiwan and a document. The document then uses a vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player, where the Italian Hacking Team had. Doing so would the attack code to be able to attack both 64-bit versions of Windows and Mac OS X. The Japanese anti-virus company advises security-conscious Internet users therefore to remove Adobe Flash Player completely from their system as possible.

Internet Again Exposed To Contaminated Ads

In recent weeks several popular websites appeared infected ads, making the potential for at least 10 million Internet users have run risk of infection. The actual number of people that the received ads to see infected and as a consequence thereof became infected is not known. The ads pointed to a copy of the Angler Exploitkit.

This exploitkit tries users silently through vulnerabilities in popular software such as Adobe Flash Player to infect with malware. It regularly happens that the ads or exploits are displayed only to visitors from certain countries. In case the infected advert appears the attack can only succeed if the visitor uses the attacked software or browser plug-in instance is not up to date.

The sites where the ads would appear according to statistics from security Cyphort SimilarWeb and get at least 10 million visitors per month. The most popular websites showing the infected ads were found in Vietnam, Greece, Indonesia and Thailand. Earlier this month, the ads were also found on the Japanese edition of the Huffington Post. Earlier this year warned Cyphort even for infected ads on popular websites. Even when it came to the Huffington Post.

Anti-Virus Company: Adobe Flash Player Is Just Like Smoking

The use of Adobe Flash Player is similar to smoking, people know that it is bad for them, but can not always stop, according to the Japanese anti-virus company Trend Micro. Last week, three vulnerabilities in the browser plug-in discovered, two of which are used by cyber criminals to infect computers with malware. The vulnerabilities were discovered by the Italian Hacking Team.

A company with forty employees. "As a relatively small company like Hacking Team can find these types of vulnerabilities, consider the tools that other parties, including countries dispose of. Previously, we only had suspicions about the extent of this problem. Now we have a better idea of the risk, "said analyst Martin Roesler . He notes that disappears in an ideal world Flash in its current form. Whether it is replaced by a technology such as HTML5, or Adobe finds a way to protect the software. According Roesler it is unlikely that this will happen.

"Despite the risks, people continue to use it as security alone is not sufficient reason not to do it." Makers of Web sites still use Flash, allowing users need the plug-in. Roesler calls therefore on end users to remove Flash Player if it is not needed, or click to set to play in. In this case, an extra mouse click required to activate the plug-in. In addition, companies are advised not to use Flash when developing new websites. Also Alex Stamos , the new head of security at Facebook, made ​​a call earlier that Adobe Flash has to stop so that there can be switched to HTML5.

Firefox Blocks All Versions Of Adobe Flash Player

Mozilla users to protect against attacks and malware has decided to block all versions of Adobe Flash Player inside Firefox. The popular browser plug-in contains two vulnerabilities that have still not been patched, and one of which is actively used by attackers to infect computers with malware. Reason for Mozilla to Flash Player on the blocklist place of Firefox.

Through the blocklist may block Mozilla plug-ins in Firefox, for example, contain malware or vulnerable. In this case, the blockade of Adobe Flash Player version 18.0.0.203. Instead of Flash Player completely block, users can turn on the plug-in itself still again. This can be arranged through the Add-ons for Firefox. Adobe has stated this week to come up with a patch for the two new vulnerabilities.

Trend Micro: New Flash Vulnerability Same Reason As Earlier Leak

The latest vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player which this week an emergency patch appeared to have the same cause as previous vulnerabilities in the popular browser plug-in. This enables the Japanese anti-virus company Trend Micro after analysis. This week, the vulnerability was with he CVE number 2015-3113 patched after the leak was previously used in targeted attacks. According to researchers, the leak is very similar to CVE-2015-3043 that Adobe patched in April.

Both vulnerabilities cause a buffer overflow. It also appears that an exploit for the vulnerability also published in April version 18.0.0.160 could crash (the latest Flash Player version before the emergency patch released this week). Both vulnerabilities are caused handle FLV with the Nellymoser audio codec and can be attacked through a specially prepared audio tag of an FLV file.

"This incident shows how important it is carefully developing patches to prevent vulnerabilities patched at a later time be attacked again," said the researchers. Which argue that software developers need to perform regression tests to ensure that old bugs are not a threat to new versions of the software.

E-mail

It was already known this week that the attackers left in emails used to lure targets to a malicious page where the Flash Player flaw was then attacked. Security company Websense says that the emails had used the subject line "2015 Program Kick Off". The text stated that the recipient was invited to a meeting. Through the attached link could be found more information about the meeting. The attackers would have mainly focused on the technological and scientific sectors.

Apple Blocks Unsafe Versions Adobe Flash Player

A little later than usual, Apple released an update to block insecure versions of Adobe Flash Player on Mac OS X, however, are Windows users who certainly have to ensure that they have the latest version.Mac OS X has a "Web Plugin blocking mechanism" that Apple can update to block insecure browser plug-ins and to protect users from potential attacks.

On May 12, Adobe patched 18 vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player that could allow an attacker in the worst case, the underlying system could take over completely. Safari users not using the latest version of Flash Player and a site visit to see the plug-in call have since today a notification. The report says that Adobe Flash Player is outdated and there is a newer version can be downloaded from Adobe. The blockade applies to all Flash Player versions prior to 17.0.0.188 and 13.0.0.289.Apple blocks more vulnerable versions of Flash Player, but does so usually a few days after the update in question appeared.

But they are Windows users who must surely check whether they are using the most recent version, as cyber criminals have begun attacking one of the vulnerabilities that Adobe patched two weeks ago. Again, there is a trend whereby the exploit to attack the vulnerability soon after the release of the security appears. In this case it is the Angler Exploit kit which is now able to Flash users with version 17.0.0.169 and earlier attack, warns security firm FireEye . Through this page, users can see whether and which version of Flash Player is installed on their system.

Weather Infected Ads On Porn xHamster

On the popular porn xHamster again infected ads have appeared that attempt to infect visitors with malware. In late January it was even hit on the porn site, which according to Alexa is on the 68th place of most visited sites on the Internet and gets 514 million visitors monthly.

The ads direct visitors unnoticed to another page where the Angler Exploitkit runs. This page checks to see if the visitor uses the virus from Kaspersky Lab or Norton. If this is not the case, then it is decided to attack the user further. The Angler Exploitkit makes abuse of vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer, Java, Silverlight and Adobe Flash Player. Anti-virus firm Malwarebytes suggests that only an old vulnerability in Internet Explorer is used in the attack.

Is the attack successful, is the Bedep malware installed. The same malware that also the end of January on the website was spread via infected ads. Bedep making computers part of a botnet and can then install additional malware. Once active Bedep used infected computers to commit fraud advertisement. Additionally silently loads the Magnitude Exploitkit, which also makes abuse of vulnerabilities, provide users with additional malware can become infected.

Ghostery Privacy Browser Works With Black Phone

The creators of the popular privacy plugin Ghostery a partnership entered into with the makers of the Black Phone, secure smartphone. Recently launched Silent Circle, the company behind the Black Phone, the Silent Store. Through this store Black Phone users can download all kinds of apps that are approved by Silent Circle in the area of privacy and security.

One of the apps that recently through the store offered the Ghostery Privacy Browser. This is a full-fledged mobile browser with the functionality of the Ghostery browser plug-in on the desktop. The browser displays a list of trackers on websites. New trackers are also blocked by default and it is possible to set up a whitelist of popular websites, which should provide for better performance.

The Ghostery Privacy Browser is free to use. However, the developers ask users if they want in return enable the Ghost Rank-feature. In this way information is shared about the trackers that users encounter. The information collected would be anonymous, so it can not be used to track users. The data are then on websites, advertising companies and audit firms offered. For this Ghostery get paid again. However, the option is disabled by default.

Infected Ads on xHamster Spread Malware

Researchers have discovered the popular porn site xHamster infected ads that try to infect visitors through a recently patched flaw in Flash Player. According to anti-virus company Malwarebytes is the number of infections from xHamster recent days has increased by 1500%.

The porn is according to measurement agency Alexa on the 64th spot of most visited websites on the internet. In case the attack is successful the Bedep malware is installed. Bedep making computers part of a botnet and can then install additional malware. Meanwhile, there is an update to the attacked Flash Player leak released, but may still not be installed anywhere.

"Although malvertising on xHamster is nothing new, this particular campaign is very active. Given that this porn site generates a lot of traffic, the number of infections are gigantic," says Malwarebytes. Previously had security FireEye already know that had infected ads on porn sites found , including a porn site in the Alexa Top 1000. However, it seems to go a different attack. As was pointed infected computers installed Reveton-ransomware.

Visitors Porn Sites Attacked By Flash Player Leak

Visitors from different porn sites, including one that is on the Internet in the Top 1000 most visited sites are attacked by a leak in Adobe Flash Player which published an update until recent days. The attack took place through ads displayed on porn sites.

That says security firm FireEye. Once the ads were shown malware could be installed on the system in a vulnerable browser.To which websites are just the IT security officer does not know. However, the advertisements used a variant of the attack which was observed in the first instance. That first attack was carried out by the Angler Exploitkit while the new attack does not use this exploitkit.

The original Angler attack used some JavaScript and try to detect the presence of virtual machines and scanners, while the new variant no obfuscation used or analyzes the environment. The exploit for Flash Player in this case is loaded via normal JavaScript. The attack is successful then a variant of the Reveton ransomware-installed. Reveton locks the computer and that the user has committed a crime. In order to prevent criminal prosecution and to regain access to the system must be an amount of money to be paid.

Meanwhile, there is for all users released an update that fixes the leak. Through this page can be checked which version of Flash Player installed on your computer. The Finnish F-Secure let know that the Angler Exploitkit last week was the most popular exploitkit among cybercriminals. The virus fighter advises Internet users in addition to installing the update also to set click-to-play. In this case, the user must first click on a Flash object before it is loaded. In this way it can automatically be prevented infecting the computer via browser plug-ins.