| Flash Control Panel This topic is about privacy, my personal stupidity, and the gross stupidity of Adobe. Another currently active thread:
»Adobe Flash Player 11.3.300.262
discusses Flash 11.3 crashing in various browsers.
First, the "personal stupidity" aspect of this posting means that I am an end user and not an expert in all things computer. Whenever I find myself easily confused ... I consider this as a warning that I am in over my head. I expect the Flash player and its implementation to be so expertly grooved out that even those with lesser skills than myself have near zero confusion about its primary purpose and any additional stuff it enables. I expect the professionals at Adobe to be masters of their own code and to also thoroughly test each product before shoving it out the door. Testing starts with the design group, followed by larger in-house testing, followed by volunteer alpha testers, followed by a larger group of volunteer beta testers with 3'rd party oversight that compiles enough statistics to satisfy most professional level experts that sufficient due diligence has been achieved.
I acknowledge that the Flash pop-up warning of sites requesting hard drive storage access is a good thing ... but I also think that warning is part of a legal CYA and that most common users (the reader is outside this "common" grouping simply by being here) will simply click anything to continue their enjoyment as uninterrupted as possible. Once I was alerted by the hard drive request ... a few link hops revealed Flash's enabling of a massive assault on personal privacy.
Yeah, they can "legally" claim they are not "directly" responsible ... but why build such capability in the first place? This attack on privacy includes:
1) Write data to your hard drive and share it.
2) Access your web cam and microphone.
3) Share your bandwidth to speed up the browsing of others.
These three items (and others) are amazing!!
Nothing prevents the data written to the hard drive from being encrypted. Even Adobe admits that data could include your "stock portfolio" or anything else gleaned from you computer!!
Yes, placing quotes around stock portfolio is justified:
»www.macromedia.com/support/docum···p06.html
said by above link :
What kind of information can an application running in Flash Player store on my computer?
The kind of information stored depends on the application. Information can be anything from your user name to your current score in an interactive game to a list of stocks in your portfolio. The application should make it clear what kind of information it wants to store.
Note: I added the above quoted underscore and underline for emphasis and discussion purposes.
Are you like me in regards to hating the enabler? By that I mean someone that enables others to perform sneaky at best and possibly illegal activity ... all the while protecting themselves behind just enough warnings to keep their lawyers satisfied. Click on the Adobe links and look for the legal verbiage. Look for mention of 3'rd party's privacy policies being the legal blanket protecting all the culprits. Jeez, those policies are designed to knock ya out if you dare to read them. The internet should be about speed and convenience. I say the laws of the land should disallow what a majority of rational people would consider as being deceptive. The vocabulary and volume of material in those policies can make a buzzard puke.
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Shall we now move on to some more intentional deception from Adobe?
»www.macromedia.com/support/docum···ger.html
said by above link :
Who uses this Settings Manager?
Beginning with Flash Player 10.3, the Local Settings Manager supersedes this Online Settings Manager for managing global settings on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. The Local Settings Manager can be accessed in the Control Panel on Windows and in System Preferences on Mac. Users of other operating systems and earlier versions of Flash Player can continue to use the Online Settings Manager described here.
Note: I added the above quoted underscore and underline for emphasis and discussion purposes.
OK, here is where my "stupid" really kicks in: I don't find exact wording or pictorial examples of how to find this "Local Settings Manager." I go to control panel and have no clue what to open. Do they mean to say that within "Internet Options" is all the information needed to close the back doors Adobe builds into their product? Or is there some other "Control" I am suppose to find? Perhaps I exaggerate for the sake of others ... I do find the red icon labelled "Flash" in my Control panel. Upon opening it the settings are found that allow the barn door to be closed. Its just with so much intentional deception in play ... do I truly trust Adobe to not have any other "games" being played? Such as >> Oops, we contracted out that module of coding to XYZ in N. Korea and were unaware that it did this sneaky thing. Our contract with XYZ clearly states they are responsible.  |
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| quote:
Who uses this Settings Manager?
Beginning with Flash Player 10.3, the Local Settings Manager supersedes this Online Settings Manager for managing global settings on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. The Local Settings Manager can be accessed in the Control Panel on Windows and in System Preferences on Mac. Users of other operating systems and earlier versions of Flash Player can continue to use the Online Settings Manager described here.
To access the local Flash Player Settings Manager that is native to your operating system:
• Windows: click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Flash Player
• Macintosh: System Preferences (under Other) click Flash Player
• Linux Gnome: System > Preferences > Adobe Flash Player
• Linux KDE: System Settings > Adobe Flash Player
It's clearly stated.
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Gladiator Security Forum: www.gladiator-antivirus.com/
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| I'd still use the Online Settings Manager as it has all the configuration options the Local Settings Manager in the Control Panel doesn't. |
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| If local supersedes online (example: FireFox + latest Flash) ... is it clearly stated anywhere that the online manager settings have any affect at all?
The way I read it is like an if-then-else decision block and NOT using the control panel you most recently accessed. In other words, the online manager does not overwrite the local settings and the local settings have precedence.
More confusion. |
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| When I've configured options in the latest version of Flash mentioned above as well as when I reverted back to 10.3.183.20 due to those issues with Firefox, I've noticed my selections on the Online Settings Manager carry over to the options that are in the Local settings Manager (the ones it chose to bring over from the Online counterpart) in the control panel. |
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| reply to chachazz
I see frequent mention here that the Local Settings Manager for the Adobe Flash Player can be accessed in Control Panel in Windows. I have NEVER had an icon for Flash Player in Control Panel. I'm running 64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium SP2. Is the Flash Player Control Panel only available in certain versions of Windows? |
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| said by jupitermoon:I see frequent mention here that the Local Settings Manager for the Adobe Flash Player can be accessed in Control Panel in Windows. I have NEVER had an icon for Flash Player in Control Panel. I'm running 64-bit Windows Vista Home Premium SP2. Is the Flash Player Control Panel only available in certain versions of Windows?
Flash Player 11 does not support Vista x64.
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Gladiator Security Forum: www.gladiator-antivirus.com/
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| Except for a problem with the latest 11.3.300.262, which was fixed by an uninstall/reinstall, I really haven't had any problems with Flash since version 11 came out. Always installed and always worked. The Flash Player Help page at the following link:
»helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/···ing.html
says: "Flash Player 64 bit is not supported on Windows Vista 64 bit. On Windows Vista 64 bit, install Flash Player 32 bit." |
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| reply to chachazz
I am running Win 7-32; however, I find this Vista x64 control panel issue more than a little disturbing. I guess Flash lumps those Vista x64 folks into the "Users of other operating systems" group and directs them to keep using the Online Settings Manager. I wonder about the motivation behind superseding the Online with this Local configuration. I don't feel like the whole truth is being shared.
I feel the bad guys have evolved past having to send a camouflaged Trojan as an email attachment and now can reach more people through Flash. There bait is something of minimal value but "fun" and if you don't allow them to write to your drive you get a message stating your performance will suffer or even being denied access to the site.
The speed up verbiage bait used to lure folks into allowing shared bandwidth can pull in a hoard all by itself. Adobe built this sharing monstrosity and wants to improve their ability to deliver their product by mooching CPU cycles everywhere they can.
If we rank the vulnerability odds ... I suggest Flash beats out Stuxnet and Flame because of the huge footprint and lesser technical difficulty needed for the bad guys. What do you folks think is the #1 threat vector? |
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| reply to jupitermoon
Well, look at that. I DO have an icon for Flash Player in Control Panel. It was hidden under Additional Options, View 32-bit Control Panel Items, Flash Player. Searching for Flash Player in the main Control Panel window turned up No items match your search. I've been looking for this for months. Glad I asked the question...  |
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 mousePremium
join:2007-03-29
australia | I checked and was surprised to find this icon and when opening it, lots of sites listed. Generally speaking the file sizes are very small. I did read the above part of the thread but fail to understand what these little files are or do? What is the consequence of deleting all of them and setting to rules to "always ask" or "deny". |
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Mele20Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
kudos:4 | It's a privacy issue and many of us do not want to allow sites to store stuff on our computers (especially without our knowledge).
I have all the settings for Flash Player set to "deny" and I have no problems with doing it that way. But you can put the settings to "always ask" and then you can decide for each site individually. You may particularly want to set the webcam and mike settings to always ask as you might want to allow in some cases the site to use either your camera or mike.
Go ahead and delete them. Nothing bad will happen if you do. But you will keep getting them unless you change Flash settings to deny or always ask.
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When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson |
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Reviews:
 ·WestNet Broadband
1 edit | reply to mouse
See - »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer-to-peer
While it isn't quite that bad, having all the settings on allow with no prompt, you are allowing everything to work, and hence no control over what travels back and forth. For the average home user who doesn't know a lot is best to leave it at it's default or turn everything on. It will allow the best options for viewing the Internet browser pages and such needing to use this plug-in.
How ever it leaves you open to visiting a site that was hacked, and it can be some site that you would least expect. It usually ends up this way to help spread.
A lot of sites do not need half the settings on, and quite a few work quite well without it. So in a security sense, it is better to turn off settings of 'sharing' nature and see how you go with your favorite sites, allowing the problem sites to be allowed in the trusted section will help fix those that you find become not as easy to visit and use.
There was and always will be exploits for this platform and others and allowing camera and speaker can present it's own issues, especially if an exploit was aimed more at the hardware and it's drivers, there was a topic recently here suggesting listening in and watching via the camera, especially in-built. But then everyone leaves that on as a default, and the same can be addressed for leaving your computer hardware on and allowing a window to exploit.
But then pulling the plug on the network or power cable is effective in blocking and an added security layer....funny how far you can protect your self.
You have to feel comfortable in your needs, but understand a topic on the settings is worth reading and helping yourself. I had forgotten the online tool was more advanced and in-depth, I will be re-visiting this again for a review of my needs and those of my children.
Edit: Correction, sometimes reading all replies helps. 
said by chachazz: quote:
Who uses this Settings Manager?
Beginning with Flash Player 10.3, the Local Settings Manager supersedes this Online Settings Manager for managing global settings on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. The Local Settings Manager can be accessed in the Control Panel on Windows and in System Preferences on Mac. Users of other operating systems and earlier versions of Flash Player can continue to use the Online Settings Manager described here.
Cheers for the discussion and reminder all.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing - Edmund Burke
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Mele20Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
kudos:4 | Granted, I don't use Flash that much but I think you are wrong when you say that you need to leave all options at default (on...do with my computer as you please website because I trust you are never evil or want to invade my privacy, etc.) to have the best options! I have always had every option at "deny" and I have never had a problem viewing Flash content that I want to view. Of course, I never would allow Flash ads to play but regular Flash content does NOT need any setting at anything other than deny. The only exception would be if the user doesn't care about privacy and wants some website to use their webcam (I have never had a computer with a webcam and don't want such a computer) or their mike! I can't imagine wanting to allow some website to take over my mike without first asking me! I can't understand why any website would need to use my mike or non-existent webcam in order for me to be able to play a Flash video or do a Flash speed test, etc. I would look with great suspicion at any website that announced it needed to use either of those items to play a Flash video.
The worst thing is this latest setting for peer assisted network sharing. That is really cheeky of Adobe to think I want to share my bandwidth like that.
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When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson |
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Reviews:
·WestNet Broadband
| said by Mele20:Granted, I don't use Flash that much but I think you are wrong when you say that you need to leave all options at default.
Any one who asks me, that wants to listen because they are interested; I would pass on the info to turn all the settings off until you have as little as possible affected. However for the general user, there really isn't a lot of concern if they visit your average site; we know they can get exploited - like we can get run over if we walk the streets; but with the settings on there isn't any bad element to be concerned about, at least enough to compare say continual alerts you do not understand.
As for sharing, anyone out there crunching, file-sharing etc, all allow traffic across the home computer network with no ill effects. A limited user will help with the basic security of flash, but it in it's self, it isn't an answer either, just a layer, education is and not of: turn it all off. Then wonder why you get a barrage of phone calls asking if this or that is good, etc.
I think with cloud computing at a general level will encompass some sort of load balancing across the internet, I doubt Akami tech etc are the end all of helping load balance the internet. Personally I do not like it, but it doesn't mean I have to tell everyone else they need to be locked like mine, they should still have a reasonably safe experience out there if they listen to a few basic rules.
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The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing - Edmund Burke
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 deke40Premium
join:2003-01-23
Texas
 ·Comcast
| reply to chachazz
said by chachazz: quote:
Who uses this Settings Manager?
Beginning with Flash Player 10.3, the Local Settings Manager supersedes this Online Settings Manager for managing global settings on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. The Local Settings Manager can be accessed in the Control Panel on Windows and in System Preferences on Mac. Users of other operating systems and earlier versions of Flash Player can continue to use the Online Settings Manager described here.
To access the local Flash Player Settings Manager that is native to your operating system:
• Windows: click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Flash Player
• Macintosh: System Preferences (under Other) click Flash Player
• Linux Gnome: System > Preferences > Adobe Flash Player
• Linux KDE: System Settings > Adobe Flash Player
It's clearly stated. No matter how many times I go in and set to block all the choices when I go back latter they are reset to allow.
What am I doing wrong? |
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Maybe you need to clean up the temp cache before applying the settings? Something maybe there alive still in a process or in memory?
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| reply to deke40
You may need administrator privileges.
(Also found this:
»forums.adobe.com/thread/892474) |
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deke40Premium
join:2003-01-23
Texas Reviews:
·Comcast
| reply to tholly911
Did some more digging and I found an "Include" in my CCleaner that was deleting these settings. Modified it now things are working great.
C:\Users\Deke\AppData\Roaming\Macromedia\Flash Player\macromedia.com\support\flashplayer\sys\
Thanks for the tips that got me on the right track. |
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Interesting.
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