A serious vulnerability in Adobe’s Flash software has been discovered, affecting Windows, OS X and Linux users.
Somewhat ironically, the security flaw was discovered after Hacking Team – an Italian surveillance company that sells spyware to government agencies – was itself breached.
Around 400GB of data was seized in the hack, and subsequently posted online.
The stolen information highlights the Flash vulnerability, and indicates that Hacking Team had been exploiting it without Adobe’s knowledge.
It affects Windows, OS X and Linux machines, and Hacking Team describes it as “the most beautiful Flash bug for the last four years.”
Trend Micro believes the flaw has already been included as part of at least three exploit kits, designed to help hackers break into computers.
“Without a doubt cybercriminals have already got their hands on it and will integrate it in their exploit kits soon,” said Malwarebytes.
“You should be extremely cautious and either disable the plugin or make sure you are running anti-exploit mitigation software to protect yourself.”
SEE ALSO: Which browser’s best for you?
Adobe has now released an update, which it says users should download within the next 72 hours.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.