Snow Leopard Installation Downgrades Flash Player to Vulnerable Version

[daveporter]

Absolutely not. I purchased it along with a brand new Mac Pro. I was using Leopard for about a week until Snow came in. Nothing but beauty from Leopard, with Snow- nothing but problems.
-cannot access PowerPoint
-shuts down randomly and restarts
-cannot link with Network server adequately
-Illustrator does this weird graphics thing if I nudge an item

Individually nothing serious, but overall, sucks ass. DO NOT BUY SNOW LEOPARD.
At least til they figure out their issues.

My experience with Snow Leopard is exactly the opposite of yours. The upgrade install went off without a hitch (on all three Macs we have here: Mac Pro, Mac Book Pro and iMac). All current versions of all software work fine with no problems (including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, VMWare Fusion, Parallels Desktop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Cubase, Logic and many more). All our printers (Brother and HP lasers and ink jets) were installed during the upgrade with no problems. And, we have seen a noticeable increase in speed on all thee machines. The bonus however, is that battery life on the Mac Book Pro has actually increased by about 10%.

Why my experience is so much different from yours is not clear. However, one possible reason could be that you may have installed some third party plugins and/or system hacking programs on your mac before you tried to upgrade which always makes upgrades tricky. If you did not do this, then perhaps you have some hardware issues? I don't know, but I can tell you that I found SL to be a wonderful and easy upgrade here.

Those are pretty unusual praise from me as those that know me on this forum are aware that I am quite a complainer normally.

Dave

 

[coleridge78]

This is something that I am curious about as well. If flash doesn't popup with a notfication that there is a newer version then how many users actually upgraded to the latest version?

Outside of developers or that .0001% who are intensive Flash-based gamers, zero. Almost literally.

People who are Flash developers and are complaining about this are especially ridiculous. You're a developer, and you're blindly running an installer that is changing your whole system without expecting to have to do some manual updates afterwards? Are you *kidding* me?

 

[Olivier L.]

Congratulations to Coleridge for being so patient, and continuing replying with software / OS facts, and realistic analysis of Apple's choice.

 

[Detektiv-Pinky]

This is something that I am curious about as well. If flash doesn't popup with a notfication that there is a newer version then how many users actually upgraded to the latest version?

We are all mistaken.

Apple does indeed update Flash automatically in their Security Updates.

I found this in their Security Update description http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3549:
(I is just that they are a little late in supplying the latest and greatest version.)



Flash Player plug-in

CVE-ID: CVE-2009-0519, CVE-2009-0520, CVE-2009-0114

Available for: Mac OS X v10.4.11, Mac OS X Server v10.4.11, Mac OS X v10.5 through v10.5.6, Mac OS X Server v10.5 through v10.5.6

Impact: Multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player plug-in

Description: Multiple issues exist in the Adobe Flash Player plug-in, the most serious of which may lead to arbitrary code execution when viewing a maliciously crafted web site. The issues are addressed by updating the Flash Player plug-in on Mac OS v10.5.x systems to version 10.0.22.87, and to version 9.0.159.0 on Mac OS X v10.4.11 systems. Further information is available via the Adobe web site at http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb09-01.html

 

[coleridge78]

We are all mistaken.

Apple does indeed update Flash automatically in their Security Updates.

I found this in their Security Update descriptions:
(I is just that they are a little late in supplying the latest and greatest version.)



Flash Player plug-in

CVE-ID: CVE-2009-0519, CVE-2009-0520, CVE-2009-0114

Available for: Mac OS X v10.4.11, Mac OS X Server v10.4.11, Mac OS X v10.5 through v10.5.6, Mac OS X Server v10.5 through v10.5.6

Impact: Multiple vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player plug-in

Description: Multiple issues exist in the Adobe Flash Player plug-in, the most serious of which may lead to arbitrary code execution when viewing a maliciously crafted web site. The issues are addressed by updating the Flash Player plug-in on Mac OS v10.5.x systems to version 10.0.22.87, and to version 9.0.159.0 on Mac OS X v10.4.11 systems. Further information is available via the Adobe web site at http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb09-01.html

This is very interesting. They've never issued an update for Flash via SW Update before. Adobe granted them special permission for this one.

 

[Detektiv-Pinky]

This is very interesting. They've never issued an update for Flash via SW Update before. Adobe granted them special permission for this one.

Not true.

It is certainly not the first update. I found several more, this was just the most recent one (start looking here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222).
So the Apple-Adobe relationship is maybe not as bad as you made it out.

However, it is good to know that these things get addressed by Apple, even if they could be a bit speedier sometimes...
(time to close this thread )

 

[Master Chief]

Yes, and each of these that have exploits available are related to the same issue with Flash-embedded PDFs, which is not going to affect any Macintosh user unless they've gone out of their way to perversify their system. Any user that has used command-line hacks to change the PDF handling in Safari is capable of being responsible for their own security updates. This should get corrected, but the urgency is very, very low.

Excuse me? I haven't done any command line hacking and yet PDF's are opened by Safari in the browser by default.

Average Joe user might even check his Safari Preferences – good for him – to find what again? Right. Not a single setting about file associations can be found there! So how do we fix this?

 

[D A]

I suppose the Flash update wasn't included in the 10A432 release because it was released too late. The kernel was done the following day, on the 31st. Apple probably didn't have enough time to include the update to make the August 28th release date.

 

[MacAerfen]

All the people bashing Apple on this are obviously not people that do their research at all. Do you know that the suspected gold master was suggested on August 11th and that the last Flash Player update was July 30th?. How long do you think it takes to ramp up a batch of pressed disks and get them ready for distribution? I suspect that Apple decided gold master version before the 30th to ensure that they can make shipment when they wanted. Do you think they are going to call up the disk manufacturer and say "oh adobe released an update so scrap all the disks you already made and heres a new one with the adobe update"? If Apple were to revise the disks every time a company updated if they were including a plugin in the installer the installer would never come.

The correct issue is why does Adobe not have an update in their software to automatically check to ensure its the most updated version. Firefox, Flip4Mac and hell even small plugins for ps3 media sharing update on my system automatically as new versions are found. Perhaps instead of bashing Apple for having to go to pressing with what was available at the time and not wasting money to update a third party plugin you should be sending emails to Adobe with questions as to why they can't write a simple version check into their app and have it update automatically?

Oh and for the love of god it is ADOBE Flashplayer not Macromedia as Adobe bought them out. If you are bitching about this and don't even know that a different company is providing this software you obviously have not been overly concerned about upgrades in the last three or four years. And I sincerely doubt this is some attempt to bash Adobe on Apple's part, since there would be no benefit to it. Apple might not think Flash is that important these days but Adobe is a big developer of software Mac users use and pushing them away would be of no value.

 

[Xavier]

Interesting.

My Flash player was not downgraded after I installed Snow Leopard. I used the 'double check' button on the original post and my Flash version is listed as up to date.

 

[slippytoad]

Installing ClickToFlash has probably been a better upgrade for me so far than SnowLeopard!*

Well I don't know about that but ClickToFlash is a revelation, thanks!

 

[Bubba Satori]

This is unpossible!!! Stop Lying!! Snow Leopard is Teh Secure!

 

[slippytoad]

Same here. Can somebody enlighten me how I can find out what flash-version is installed on my Mac?

Visit this page: http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/

 

[Prenvo]

Flash is a nightmare, regardless of what version, on OSX. Installing ClickToFlash has probably been a better upgrade for me so far than SnowLeopard!* No more do I see Safari with about 20 tabs open hogging a ridiculous amount of CPU cycles, as all the awful Flash elements in sites I don't want anyway are now blocked. I've also set it to use h.264 for Youtube, but the beta (which is the only version that works on SL) seems to autoload videos now. I'm sure that didn't happen on the stable/10.5

Adobe need to take a leaf out of Apple's book and make CS5 a '0 new features' release at a minimum cost, and give OSX users a decent release of their software. Everything about CS4, even the installer, feels like a PC port. Apple users have been huge supporters of Adobe through the years and deserve some better treatment. Flash is only the (awful) tip of a (huge) iceberg. It's beyond me that some iPhone owners actually want this awful thing on their handsets...

* Not to put down SL in any terms, I thought it was a good update before I read the ARS Tech 23 page review, now I *know* it is!

Flash is .nice. on Windows, really nice. It sucks everything on OS X. Windows users buying iPhones want Flash. OS X users buying iPhones go crazy about CPU and battery and "OMG WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"

 

[geeves]

flash burns my computer...

Flash makes my laptop run hot as hell - I use this no-flash plugin. Best policy.

 

[geeves]

Top post>>

bad luck. use CS1. clean out MSN apps. wise up;

 

[duncan35]

And of course, you've done exhaustive testing to discover that Snow Leopard is the cause of these problems.

Get real, kid.

What a tool you are. It's quite obvious that if someone had none of these problems, then did the SL upgrade and then had all of these problems ... hmmm, perchance SL had something to do with it. I mean it's one thing to love Apple and their products, but to be a ridiculous apologist who is incapable of reality is condemnable. This Flash issue ss the perfect example. Yeah, people should upgrade their stuff. But when people do, then an OS upgrade retrogrades it without notice, that's Apple's fault, not the end user. Take your own advice and ... get real, sport.

 

[GrannySmith_G5]

I farted at Walmart.

 

[Eidorian]

Yes, it works fine (on Firefox anyway).

Well I like using Safari on OS X and FireFox on Windows.

I've been using FireFox under OS X since it doesn't beachball under Snow Leopard as often.

 

[JayX]

Well I don't know about that but ClickToFlash is a revelation, thanks!

Hehe, it's why I put the * in Flash is my biggest pain in the ass, and CTF got rid of it (to a degree) so I have to throw it big props.

Flash is .nice. on Windows, really nice.

Eh, I don't agree. Flash is bearable on Windows? Possibly. I wouldn't describe it, regardless of it's performance on any OS, as 'nice' though. I'm all about the XHTML/CSS/PHP/MySQL, sites full of Flash just tend to be wastes of time. Entertaining wastes of time, sure, but a waste of time nonetheless (and the navigation systems are often a nightmare). I'm hoping HTML5s video embedding by default will catch on within the next 5 years.

 

[lavem]

Checking time machine backups show I was previously running Flash version 10.0.22.something on Leopard (I can't be bothered restoring to check exact version, just did a quick get info on the file).

So Snow Leopard actually updated the player.

Going back further shows different flash versions so it does obviously get updated from time to time, perhaps with Safari updates.

I've never updated manually, never even thought about it. Flash gets on my wick so I install ad block, no script on Firefox and now click to flash for Safari.

I will update now though!

 

[rwilliams]

This is something that I am curious about as well. If flash doesn't popup with a notfication that there is a newer version then how many users actually upgraded to the latest version?

I upgraded in Leopard, in order to get ready for our ESPN Fantasy Football league. Then I installed Snow Leopard last Friday. On Saturday, I lost out on my first pick because I could not click on anything on the draft board. I had to log in to my Windows laptop to finish the draft, because I didn't have the time to troubleshoot. Now it makes more sense as to what the problem was.

 

[4God]

Grrrreeaaaaaat...........I upgraded and now any site with flash just freezes Safari.

Now what?

 

[dexx0008]

You people don't get it.

We're not talking about a system update deciding to downgrade some third-party software. That would, indeed, suck.

We're talking about an OS REINSTALL. News flash, when you reinstall your OS, software that is bundled with the OS (like, say, browser plugins) overwrites the other version. If you've upgraded CUPS to the latest HEAD version on your system, installing a NEW OS is going to overwrite it.

What part of "Operating System installation" do people not understand? If you want to be sure that you're really, truly, only touching the OS and not the usual, tangentially-attached software, it's YOUR responsibility to do so by not blindly choosing the default install.

This is so moronic, even for the internet, that I'm sort of flabbergasted.

+1000

damn, people bitch about everything, depending on timing, dvd's might have been in the middle of being pressed anyway...

 

[Poll Smoker]

It's really not a big deal.

I'm not about to get all cooked over a Flash update.

Yeah, that's the second time you've posted that it's not a big deal.

We get it. You have your fanboi nose shoved up Apple's a**.