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Safari 5.1.7 update disables older versions of Flash for security reasons

Safari 5.1.7 update disables older versions of Flash for security reasons

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Apple just released Safari 5.1.7, which includes one very notable security update among the usual bug fixes and patches: it disables older versions of Adobe Flash and directs users to download the latest update from Adobe's website.

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safari update

Apple just released Safari 5.1.7, which includes one very notable security update among the usual bug fixes and patches: it disables older versions of Adobe Flash and directs users to download the latest update from Adobe's website. The move isn't as draconian as it seems at first: Flash Player for OS X has had a built-in update system since version 10.3 was released last May, so those who get flagged are probably running year-old code and should probably update anyway to avoid exploits like the one Adobe patched just four days ago.

We don't have any other details on how Apple is detecting what version of Flash you're running or if it plans to update the minimum required version over time; the latest beta of Flash Player 11.3 for OS X includes a "silent" background update system for even better security, so we'd assume that'll become the new minimum version when it's released. Until then, we'll poke around and see what else is new in Safari 5.1.7 — let us know if you find anything, won't you?