While Apple moved fairly quickly to release software tools for OS X Lion and Snow Leopard to remove the Flashback malware from infected systems and patch the Java vulnerability it exploited, users of earlier operating system versions have remained vulnerable.
Apple addressed that issue today for users of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, releasing Leopard Flashback Removal Security Update to clean infected systems and disable the Java plug-in in Safari.
This update removes the most common variants of the Flashback malware. If the Flashback malware is found, a dialog will notify you that malware was removed. In some cases, the update may need to restart your computer in order to completely remove the Flashback malware.
To improve the security of your Mac, this update also disables the Java plug-in in Safari. For instructions on how to re-enable it, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5241.
The update weighs in at 1.23 MB and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8.
On a separate note, Apple also released Leopard Security Update 2012-003, which automatically disables out-of-date versions of Adobe Flash Player for security reasons. The update weighs in at 1.11 MB and requires Mac OS X 10.5.8.
This update disables versions of Adobe Flash Player that do not include the latest security updates and provides the option to get the current version from Adobe's website.
Apple included similar functionality for Lion and Snow Leopard systems in Safari 5.1.7 released last week alongside OS X 10.7.4.
Today's software releases for Mac OS X Leopard mark the first significant software updates for the operating system since the debut of OS X Lion in mid-2011.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Downloaded both: FlashbackRemovalUpdate.dmg, SecUpd2012-003.dmg
So you can't have Flashback but want to remove it?Neither will run on Power PC G5 System running Leopard 10.5.8.
Looks like we're left out again. :\
You can't get an up-to-date version of Flash Player for a PPC Mac and without Flash content access you may as well toss it in the trash. I know PPC systems can hardly render Flash content but still ....
yeah no doubt, i just burned my ipad1 because its soo old and if anyone on here wants it they can have my already obsolete ipad2. neither can do flash so obviously lack all major techz.
What about all Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger users? :( Left in the cold?!
Downloaded both: FlashbackRemovalUpdate.dmg, SecUpd2012-003.dmg
Tiger and PPC Leopard never had Java SE 6, which is where the security vulnerability has been reported to be. Does Flashback even work on Java 1.4 and/or Java SE 5? Tiger and PPC Leopard may actually have the advantage of security through obsolescence.Neither will run on Power PC G5 System running Leopard 10.5.8.
Looks like we're left out again. :\
Is there a way to disable Flash in Lion or do I have to uninstall it?
The best choice is to uninstall the Flash, and install Google Chrome - which has a built-in Flash,separated from Safari and other browsers. And then, when you need Flash, just launch Google Chrome.
Most users will never update it, but if they can't view YouTube without updating, they'll update it.