Embedded Flash puts Windows 8 users at risk until Oct 26

[Rick]

Are you running the Windows 8 RTM yet? If you are, you may want to be careful out there, suggests Ed Bott from ZDNet. Internet Explorer 10's embedded Flash component suffers from a number of critical vulnerabilities which allow hackers to crash and take control of affected systems.

While such exploits are nothing new nor impossible to avoid, Microsoft's Chrome-like IE10-Flash integration makes Windows Update the middleman. Users aren't able to manually install updated versions of Flash themselves anymore. Rather, updates from Adobe must be integrated into IE10 update packages first and then made available by Microsoft to the general public.

Unfortunately -- and here's the problem -- Microsoft has told ZDNet that it will not be issuing an update until the "GA timeframe". GA is the time Windows 8 is expected to be generally available, which is October 26. 

Microsoft's lethargic response to critical security updates has often been criticized, but they aren't the only company with an occasional, molasses-like stride. Apple too, has received its share of criticism. The Cupertino-based company also had its own Flash-related problems a few years ago, prompting it to remove Flash entirely, barring it from shipping with Mac OS X.

Incidentally, Google's Chrome also houses its own embedded Flash module. Unlike IE10 under Windows 8 though, Adobe's hotifx had already been implemented on August 21 and subsequently pushed out to users.

If Microsoft hopes to avoid embarrassing itself by keeping IE10 safe and secure, the software maker should definitely consider timely updates as part of its strategy. Hopefully, critical patches like these will begin to be swiftly rolled out once Windows 8 hits mainstream.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/50068-embedded-flash-puts-windows-8-users-at-risk-until-oct-26.html

 

[Det]

Embedded IE will continue doing so for the rest of its natural lifetime, if it has to.

 

[inventix1136]

I have installed Windows 8 RTM on one of my desktop computers and can say only that it will make Vista seem like a winner. No sane IT manager is going to upgrade their machines to it unless pulled dragging and screaming due to the usability issues and the MASSIVE retraining of employees. When you have to google on how to turn off Windows, you KNOW something is wrong.

P.S. Another fun aspect, you are on desktop and click on an image, up comes the build in picture viewer -- but now there is no "X" to kill the app and no way to get back to the desktop without the keyboard shortcuts or going to the nav bar to the "metro" page and then back to desktop. Not only that, but the picture viewer is still running in the background and consuming resources -- so far the only way I found to terminate it is via task manager -- NOT COOL...

 

[Chemicalist]

Embedded IE will continue doing so for the rest of its natural lifetime, if it has to.

I have installed Windows 8 RTM on one of my desktop computers and can say only that it will make Vista seem like a winner. No sane IT manager is going to upgrade their machines to it unless pulled dragging and screaming due to the usability issues and the MASSIVE retraining of employees. When you have to google on how to turn off Windows, you KNOW something is wrong.

P.S. Another fun aspect, you are on desktop and click on an image, up comes the build in picture viewer -- but now there is no "X" to kill the app and no way to get back to the desktop without the keyboard shortcuts or going to the nav bar to the "metro" page and then back to desktop. Not only that, but the picture viewer is still running in the background and consuming resources -- so far the only way I found to terminate it is via task manager -- NOT COOL...

Just because you're not used to using it doesn't mean it automatically sucks. Microsoft already revealed ages ago that you can place your cursor on the upper left of the screen and it will display all the running apps and you can close them from there. If you need to close an app from within its UI, just place your cursor up top and drag it downwards to the bottom and it closes.

The world really would be much better off if people listened when they were told what to do.

 

[Det]

@Chemicalist, my hatred towards IE has nothing at all to do with Windows 8.

It's come a long way in the last few years but I still wouldn't go and use it unless I absolutely had to.

 

[Emexrulsier]

When you have to google on how to turn off Windows, you KNOW something is wrong.

P.S. Another fun aspect, you are on desktop and click on an image, up comes the build in picture viewer -- but now there is no "X" to kill the app and no way to get back to the desktop without the keyboard shortcuts or going to the nav bar to the "metro" page and then back to desktop. Not only that, but the picture viewer is still running in the background and consuming resources -- so far the only way I found to terminate it is via task manager -- NOT COOL...

If you are using google to find your way around a new I don't think you should be working in IT. Takes a few minutes playing with the os finding the correct ways to shutdown and close apps never having to touch the windows key. Don't dismiss something just because you fail yourself at getting to grips with the innovative changes.

 

[Det]

@Emexrulsier, well, since you never addressed these:
1) How would you know he's working in IT?
2) You can't really just "figure out" that you can close apps by dragging them to the bottom of the screen any faster than by Googling.
3) Innovative. That's not a good argument. Not every new invention is something you should be proud of. Especially if it replaces something you've already used to in a way that is meant for a totally different market.