Adobe Systems releases critical security updates for Flash Player

PanARMENIAN.Net - Adobe Systems released critical security updates for Flash Player to address 18 vulnerabilities, many of which can be remotely exploited to compromise underlying systems, PCWorld reports.

Fifteen of the patched vulnerabilities can result in arbitrary code execution, one can be exploited to disclose session tokens and two allow attackers to escalate their privileges from the low to medium integrity level, Adobe said in a security advisory.

The company advises Windows and Mac users to update to the newly released Flash Player version 15.0.0.223. Linux users should update to Flash Player 11.2.202.418.

The Flash Player Extended Support Release, which is based on Flash Player 13 was also updated to version 13.0.0.252.

The Flash Player plug-ins bundled with Google Chrome and Internet Explorer on Windows 8 and 8.1 will be upgraded automatically through those browsers’ update mechanisms.

Adobe also released new versions of Adobe AIR, the company’s runtime and software development kit (SDK) for rich Internet applications, because it bundles Flash Player. Users of the AIR desktop and Android runtime, as well as users of AIR SDK and AIR SDK & Compiler should update to version 15.0.0.356.

Many of the vulnerabilities patched in these new Flash Player releases were found and reported by researchers from Google, Microsoft, McAfee and Trend Micro.

Adobe said via email that it is not aware of exploits for these vulnerabilities being used in the wild. However, as demonstrated last month, cybercriminals don’t waste a lot of time before they start to attack newly patched Flash Player flaws, PCWorld says.