Allowing Adobe Flash on Mac: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

In a recent blog post, Platform Security Strategist Peleus Uhley from Adobe shed some light on the company's approach to security when it comes to Flash Player. According to Uhley, a specific file defines the security permissions for Flash Player when it runs within the sandboxed plugin process. This is not a new concept, as Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer have been sandboxing Flash for some time now.

Sandboxing means that OS X restricts what the code can do, preventing a badly-written app from crashing the entire browser and stopping malware from gaining access to any other part of your Mac. In fact, Safari 7, introduced with OS X Mavericks, is now better protected against malware and poorly-written Flash code due to the sandboxing feature.

However, Adobe has been forced to issue numerous security updates to Flash, including two emergency updates earlier this year. This has led many developers to turn their attention to HTML5, which offers a more secure alternative to Flash. Google's initiative to encourage the use of HTML5 over Flash is part of its Web Fundamentals and Web Starter Kit projects.

Interestingly, Adobe Flash is not supported on iOS devices or Android versions 4.1 and higher due to reliability, security, and performance concerns. In fact, Android has also abandoned support for Flash due to these same issues. This move was predicted by Steve Jobs in his famous open letter to Adobe back in 2010.

In a bid to help users avoid frustration when trying to access websites that rely heavily on Flash, Google is now flagging Flash content in its search results. The warning indicates that the site may not work on their device, saving users the hassle of discovering this for themselves.

While allowing Adobe Flash on Mac can provide access to certain websites and features, it's essential to weigh the benefits against the risks. With Flash being sandboxed, the chances of malware or poorly-written code causing harm are significantly reduced. However, it's still crucial to ensure that your browser and operating system are up-to-date with the latest security patches.

In conclusion, allowing Adobe Flash on Mac is a complex issue, with both pros and cons to consider. While it can provide access to certain features and websites, it also poses risks and is not supported by all devices and platforms. By understanding the benefits and drawbacks of using Flash, users can make informed decisions about how they use this technology.

Allowing adobe flash on mac