The popular video and commercial viewer Flash Player from Adobe, according to the manufacturer statistics spread to almost every Computer installed (interesting side note: This is nominally in the linked Statistics from Adobe and others originally supposed to be a Flash competitor).
In second part I describe the update system (and why you should not use it).
But first time a couple of general observations, it is clear that what I write here at all (the interesting part comes after).
What is Flash?
Adobe Flash is a fairly expensive program for animations and interactive applications in the broadest sense to develop. With Flash, you can short films, screen savers, games, basically everything . Program His creations can then "compile" and play with the Flash Player. So does the Flash animations, Flash Player plays them off.
Flash is originally from any company that was acquired by Macromedia. Therefore, it is known as Macromedia Flash. Since Adobe has bought Macromedia logically as Adobe Flash.
Flash Player
The Flash Player is a small program, the compiled Flash applications (SWF file extension = Shockwave Flash / Small Web Format) can play. Many screen savers are actually the Flash Player and the compiled application in an executable file. You can download Flash Player for free from Adobe as executable program. But that does not.
usual to use the Flash Player Plugin. It's like the Flash Player, installed only in the Web browser. This allows websites include Flash applications. Many people mistakenly call the Flash Player Plugin "Flash" as. I shall refer to the Flash Player plug-in as "plugin".
Note: Ex-Macromedia Shockwave Flash is no Macromedia Shockwave. In the 90 MM's name has been using Shockwave for everything.
What is a Web browser plug-in?
In Windows there are two technologies: Microsoft's ActiveX and NPAPI (Netscape Plugin API). To make it short: ActiveX (technology and OLE / COM is called) be 1000 times more efficient but in principle the same as NPAPI. ActiveX plug-ins are typically "Control" is named. You are saying, "the Flash Player Control". ActiveX is used by Internet Explorer. Netscape / Firefox / Opera to use (surprise) NPAPI.
The browser the SWF file (aka "Flash Animation") to the plugin. Then the browser is an area reserved on the screen and passes it to the plugin. The plugin draws the SWF file onto the screen within the browser window so that it looks as if the browser can display the SWF would.
The plugin can interact with others Javascript. Thus one can sometimes be influenced by rumklicken on the website what the plugin makes.
So a plugin / Control is technically a DLL (on Windows) is loaded by the web browser. When the browser encounters a specific content for which has registered the plugin, the plugin is started. The DLL that contains the ActiveX Control OCX with the extension (but is otherwise a normal DLL). not
Since ActiveX and NPAPI are compatible, there is one version of the Flash Player for it.
way: NPAPI is from Adobe (long before they have bought Macromedia) ActiveX and Visual Basic.
details see this Wikipedia article:
Who has read this far, may look small at first this cartoon.
What is a DLL?
to complicated for this article (basically a normal executable program without a "main program").
Why is Flash Player, a safety problem?
Whether ActiveX or Netscape plug-in, Flash Player runs inside the web browser and has the rights.
The newly introduced in Windows Vista debt levels (integrity levels) I will now leave time, or do I have the article in book . Publish Because Internet Explorer is the only browser that supports it, does not interest me really.
Since a DLL that is, in principle, is a normal Windows program, Flash Player - do what it wants - as an administrator. A similar vulnerability in the plug means that any website can do with all visitors what they want.
Basic safety rules for the Flash Player plugin / Control
- web browser (and thus the Flash Player plugin / Control) are not running as an administrator.
- Always install the latest version.
- install Something like FlashBlock (for Firefox).
The second is unfortunately difficult. As we in the second part (longer) shall see, the update system from Adobe expresses stupid.
Links
- Largest Adobe Flash crash in the world . Michael Krigsman. has guaranteed nothing to do with the subject.
- 80 percent of users surf with vulnerable versions of Flash . Heise Online.
Next in Part 2 .
