Skip to main content

Adobe issues patch for ‘critical’ vulnerability that could crash your computer

adobe finds another critical flaw in flash stock scott braut
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Another security vulnerability has been identified and patched in Adobe Flash but there have been no reports of the bug being exploited.

The vulnerability, CVE-2016-4117, which was deemed critical, was identified by FireEye engineer Genwei Jiang. On May 10, Adobe publicly acknowledged the bug, which affected Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, and Linux devices.

“Successful exploitation could cause a crash and potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system,” it said in its advisory.

No specific details about how the flaw could have been used were made public but Adobe bugs are rather frequently spotted and have been exploited plenty of times in the past. Security expert Graham Cluley expects that this latest flaw was used in malvertising or watering hole attacks via the Angler Exploit Kit. Ads that contain malicious code are a common method of burrowing into a system.

Adobe Flash is still widely used on many computers and this continues to pose a serious threat to users, said ESET U.K. security specialist Mark James.

“The program itself is one of many that users will leave on their machine without actually using it or understanding the security risk,” he said.

All users are advised to check that they are now running the latest version of the software to avoid any issues.

Common security vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash are a regular bugbear for the security community. Last year, Facebook’s chief security officer Alex Stamos called on Adobe to put a plan in place for calling time on Flash once and for all. Mozilla even took the step of blocking Flash by default in response to a series of zero days (previously undiscovered bugs) that emerged in quick succession.

Most recently, Adobe issued an emergency patch in early April after it was discovered that Flash left computers susceptible to ransomware attacks, the sort of malware that encrypts all your files and holds them for ransom, usually involving a payment of a couple of hundred dollars.

Jonathan Keane
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jonathan is a freelance technology journalist living in Dublin, Ireland. He's previously written for publications and sites…
Power up your tech game this summer with Dell’s top deals: Upgrade for a bargain
Dell Techfest and best tech on sale featured.

One of the best times to upgrade your tech stack, be it your desktop, a new laptop, or some high-resolution monitors, is when great deals are to be had. Well, I'm here to share that thanks to Dell's top deals, you can power up your tech game and have most of the summer to make it happen. Maybe you're happy with your current system or setup. That's excellent, but you're likely considering upgrading somewhere, and that's precisely what these deals are all about. Dell has a smorgasbord of deals on laptops, desktops, gaming desktops, monitors, accessories, and so much more. We'll call out a few of our favorite deals below, but for now, know that you should be shopping this sale if you're interested in anything tech-related.

 
What summer tech should you buy in Dell's top deals?

Read more
I love the MacBook Pro, but this Windows laptop came surprisingly close
Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

There are some great machines in the 15-inch laptop category, which has recently been stretched to include the more common 16-inch laptop. The best among them is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which offers fast performance for tasks like video editing and the longest battery life.

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is aimed not only at other 16-inch Windows laptops but also at the MacBook Pro 16. It offers many of the same benefits but at a lower price. Can it take a place at the top?
Specs and configurations

Read more
How to set an ‘Out of Office’ message in Microsoft Teams
Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

Many people use Microsoft Teams regularly to communicate with colleagues both inside of the office and remotely. It is considered one of the most efficient ways to ensure you can stay in contact with the people on your team, but what if you need to let people know you’re not readily available? Microsoft Teams has a method for you to set up an "Out of Office" status for your profile to let staff members know when you’ll be gone for the afternoon, for several days on vacation, or for an extended period.
Where do I go to set up my ‘Out of Office’ status for Teams?
It is important to note that your Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendars are synced. This includes your out-of-office status and automatic replies. So, whatever you set up in Microsoft Teams will reflect in Outlook. Similarly, you can set up your out-of-office status in Outlook, and it will be reflected in Teams; however, the former has a more straightforward instruction.

First, you can click on your profile icon in Teams and go directly to Schedule an out of office, as a shortcut. This will take you to the settings area where you can proceed. You can also click the three-dot icon next to your profile icon, then go to Settings > General, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you'll find out-of-office settings and click Schedule.

Read more