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You need to provide an option to just quit blocking Adobe flash for all sites, period, regardless of what YOU think.

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I use half a dozen computers occasionally. It is not feasible to run hours of updates on all of them. Most of them are unusable with auto updates turned on. Adobe goes out of date weekly. There is no excuse for this. Either provide an option to disregard the date of the Adobe Flash, or I will dump Firefox and go to something else. The synchronized bookmarks are useful in my situation, but I can use Chrome, and it does NOT have this stubborn problem.

I use half a dozen computers occasionally. It is not feasible to run hours of updates on all of them. Most of them are unusable with auto updates turned on. Adobe goes out of date weekly. There is no excuse for this. Either provide an option to disregard the date of the Adobe Flash, or I will dump Firefox and go to something else. The synchronized bookmarks are useful in my situation, but I can use Chrome, and it does NOT have this stubborn problem.

All Replies (15)

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Hi

When Mozilla becomes aware of add-ons, plugins, or other third-party software that seriously compromises Firefox security, stability, or performance and meets certain criteria, the software may be blocked from general use. For more information, please read this support article.

Security flaws have been identified in Flash that could lead to users inadvertently downloading "ransom-ware" (for example; Cryptlocker) through users visiting a site that has toxic code embedded in it. Adobe has recently published an updated version that (should you need Flash) I recommend you download.

Updating Flash should be a fairly straightforward process. This article should walk you through it.

Aside from this, Mozilla and others across the web are working on alternatives to Flash that will make the web a better place.

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When Flash is being "soft" blocked (as has been happening recently) you can Activate Adobe Flash on each Flash window - per presentation.

See this - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/set-adobe-flash-click-play-firefox

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You can update to the latest Flash Player 18.0.0.209

You can find the latest Flash player versions for Firefox on this page:

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A small footnote: Chrome auto-updates itself and its Flash component invisibly without asking you. You aren't avoiding auto-updates, you're just not noticing them. It's definitely less annoying, but some people like to have the choice...

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FIRST, updating to the latest adobe flash for firefox did NOT solve the blocking. So knock out two of the replies that simply gave the update link. Someone at MOZILLA IS NOT LISTENING TO USERS.

SECOND, I gave a logical reason why updating was a burden with short term use laptops. Besides, Adobe comes out with new versions almost weekly. THIS IS NOT REASONABLE. Firefox's unwillingness to give users options means MOZILLA IS NOT REASONABLE.

Regarding the comment on Chrome, I cannot allow auto-updates over bandwidth limited hotel connections. In my experience, one connects and then the computer cannot be used ... perhaps for days. Usually I can spare no more than a couple of minutes to check email when traveling.

READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY BEFORE REPLYING.

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The previous (vulnerable) versions are not blocked completely but are soft blocked as you can click to activate. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/set-adobe-flash-click-play-firefox

The current versions on http://www.adobe.com/special/products/flashplayer/fp_distribution3.html for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux are Not on blocklist.

What you may be experiencing is something a number of users have experienced with the previous version 18.0.0.203 still being listed on system along with 18.0.0.209 as it was not cleaned up by new Flash player install. A computer restart or deleting the old version can work.

Unfortunately the Flash Player plugins for all browsers and for all OS's has been getting hit with proven in wild critical exploits in Flash Player versions, including the ActiveX and Pepper versions. https://helpx.adobe.com/security.html

As for frequent updates from Adobe in last months, would you rather Adobe not fix the critical vulnerabilities or have users wait a long time between updates leaving users vulnerable?

Before December 2014, Mozilla did not even block any Flash player plugins versions since Feb.Mar 2013 because any security issues in Flash player versions up until then were not of concern enough to consider blocking until December 2014. The Flash Player (malware) mentioned in list were malware extensions pretending to be the Plugin. https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/blocked/

So as you can see the blocking of previous versions is not because they were out of date but because of critical vulnerabilities that have been proven.

Modified by James

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NONE of you have addressed the problem. I asked for a one-time unconditional override. Deliver or I'm going back to IE, which I have verified does NOT have the problem. I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO BE A SYSTEM PROGRAMMER FOR A LAPTOP BEFORE A TRIP! GET REAL! You guys are the most non-responsive bunch of numb nuts I have ever seen.

TO PROVIDE AN OVERRIDE ON A SPECIFIC WEBPAGE AND MAKE THE USER OVERRIDE AGAIN AND AGAIN ON THE NEXT AND THE NEXT WEBPAGE IS A DELIBERATE DECISION TO BE A*N*N*O*Y*I*N*G! IT IS UNPROFESSIONAL AND AN ABUSE OF USERS.

Modified by mc1soft

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You do realize that typing in all Caps is the internet form of yelling at somebody sitting right in front of you?. If they did not punch you they would at least ignore you instead of volunteering their time in helping you out.

Also you are breaking forum rules (like every forum normally has) by throwing insults when none was warranted. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/forum-rules-and-guidelines#w_language-and-conduct

I was going to perhaps give you a option with warning on consequences of doing it but not now if you are going behave like this.

One person is not going to make a difference in browser usage as either you can downgrade to IE or you can behave then maybe somebody will help you.

Modified by James

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mc1soft said

NONE of you have addressed the problem. I asked for a one-time unconditional override. Deliver or I'm going back to IE, which I have verified does NOT have the problem. I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO BE A SYSTEM PROGRAMMER FOR A LAPTOP BEFORE A TRIP! GET REAL! You guys are the most non-responsive bunch of numb nuts I have ever seen. TO PROVIDE AN OVERRIDE ON A SPECIFIC WEBPAGE AND MAKE THE USER OVERRIDE AGAIN AND AGAIN ON THE NEXT AND THE NEXT WEBPAGE IS A DELIBERATE DECISION TO BE A*N*N*O*Y*I*N*G! IT IS UNPROFESSIONAL AND AN ABUSE OF USERS.

Do you care to explain your usage model a bit more for us? I do not experience this Adobe issue.

Do you actually own half a dozen computers, or is there one machine which you can settle on to try to work through this problem

What do you mean by being a "system programmer for a laptop before a trip"? Does Adobe on the same laptop work okay if you're using it at home?

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mc1soft said

NONE of you have addressed the problem. I asked for a one-time unconditional override. Deliver or I'm going back to IE, which I have verified does NOT have the problem.

Just to be clear, support forum volunteers work with the Firefox we have today, not the one you wish that we could create for you.

TO PROVIDE AN OVERRIDE ON A SPECIFIC WEBPAGE AND MAKE THE USER OVERRIDE AGAIN AND AGAIN ON THE NEXT AND THE NEXT WEBPAGE IS A DELIBERATE DECISION TO BE A*N*N*O*Y*I*N*G! IT IS UNPROFESSIONAL AND AN ABUSE OF USERS.

The "allow and remember" setting should save a site-specific exception. You can confirm it using the Permissions panel of the Page Info dialog. You can call that up using any of these:

  • right-click the page and choose View Page Info > Permissions
  • (menu bar) Tools menu > Page Info > Permissions
  • click the padlock or globe icon to the left of the site address > More Information > Permissions

In the top section, under Adobe Flash, if the permission did not change to Allow, you can can change it there.


Also, if I may editorialize:

(1) It's unwise to allow every single site you visit to use Flash automatically knowing that not only are you not updating, but new unpatched vulnerabilities are regularly coming to light. Why would you expose yourself to that when you can in a few seconds save exceptions just for the sites you trust?

(2) If you are concerned about wasted bandwidth, the Ask to Activate feature is perfect for you because many of those previously unvisited sites will just be using Flash for ads or sophisticated tracking schemes.

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I of course appreciate the efforts of true volunteers. And I also realize not all of the problem is with Firefox, some substantial part of it is with Adobe, and it occurs in the general context of internet security problems.

However, this is the only forum I have in which to give feedback. If no one but volunteers read it, then Firefox has become unresponsive and useless.

I have been in the computer field since the late 1960s. I watched while new companies with egotistical college dropout CEOs started up and ignored all that was known about Computer Science (security had already been well studied it when I studied in the the early 70s at Rice), and made a lot of money leaving back doors for their own purposes. Rubbish. Some of those CEOs have already taken their money and fled the field instead of fixing the problems they created.

I WILL continue to use a variety of travel laptops, according to the power-weight-volume requirements of the individual trip. If one of them is "lost" to a security incident, I'll replace it. Now get busy passing this message up the line to whoever you know that can control the architecture of the software instead of urging me to become a full time system programmer. I graduated from that job 30 years ago.

By the way, for comparison ... I already switched to Chrome at the office a few weeks ago. When I returned from travel this morning, it was complaining about Adobe. Somehow or other, it gave me instructions, and in 2 mouse clicks and 30 seconds the problem was solved. Internet Explorer had not had the problem (it uses a different version of the plug-in).

Modified by mc1soft

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mc1soft said

However, this is the only forum I have in which to give feedback. If no one but volunteers read it, then Firefox has become unresponsive and useless.

No, that is not correct. Mozilla is very open. Since i don't really understand your bottom line on this, whether you do not Firefox to care about updates or you want transparent updates like Chrome, you can give feedback yourself here:

https://input.mozilla.org/feedback

Or you can file a bug here:

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/

Or you can try to find a relevant developer/security mailing list here:

https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo

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That was a useful reply, thanks jscher2000 very much for the links. I filed the following summary at the mozilla.org/feedback link:

"Firefox issues too many updates, making my variety of travel laptops unusable when I need to grab one and go on a trip. This is an industry-wide problem, I realize, but I am switching back to Internet Explorer because it retains more functionality (e.g. Flash) without immediately requiring a lengthy update. "

"Using automatic updates on travel laptops is infeasible. They become locked-up and unusable when suddenly connected to a poor quality or intermittent WiFi network and sometimes will not clear at all until I get them home. I may have 5 or 10 minutes to check email and news and markets, and waiting for hours of updates is not going to happen."

Modified by mc1soft

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I am ashamed of the reaction from some of our Mozillians in here, engaging in trading blows with a customer. The customer is always right, even when frustrated and I am very frustrated as a Contributor volunteer to this forum.

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I think we're done here. Locking this thread.