New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Apple Updates Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard with Flashback Removal Tool, Flash Player Disabler

Monday May 14, 2012 1:22 pm PDT by Eric Slivka
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.

[ 48 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
keruah
93 months ago

Downloaded both: FlashbackRemovalUpdate.dmg, SecUpd2012-003.dmg

Neither will run on Power PC G5 System running Leopard 10.5.8.

Looks like we're left out again. :\

So you can't have Flashback but want to remove it?
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
Dragonforce
93 months ago
Nice to see that Apple still not has completely forgotten about users who are still on Leopard / legacy systems with PPC.
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
commander.data
93 months ago

What about all Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger users? :( Left in the cold?!


Downloaded both: FlashbackRemovalUpdate.dmg, SecUpd2012-003.dmg

Neither will run on Power PC G5 System running Leopard 10.5.8.

Looks like we're left out again. :\

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.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
AppleMacFinder
93 months ago

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.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
drorpheus
93 months ago

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.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
pat park
93 months ago

Is there a way to disable Flash in Lion or do I have to uninstall it?


Click to flash.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
JosephAW
93 months ago
Update not compatible with PPC...

Downloaded both: FlashbackRemovalUpdate.dmg, SecUpd2012-003.dmg

Neither will run on Power PC G5 System running Leopard 10.5.8.

Looks like we're left out again. :\
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
kolax
93 months ago
Disabling out of date Flash is a great idea.

Most users will never update it, but if they can't view YouTube without updating, they'll update it.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
vohdoun
93 months ago


Does anyone know if YouTube works without Flash on a Mac? I know it works for iOS. If it works on a Mac, I'm tossing Flash.


Yes. It's not meant to be insulting but I'm shocked that PPC users did not know this.

Safari 5 user? Use this. Been using it for years. http://www.verticalforest.com/youtube5-extension/

Plus if you have a Youtube account, register on the HTML5 beta. //www.youtube.com/html5

If you want to take it further, Safari Menu > Safari extensions Gallery > Entertainment section > clea.nr Videos for YouTube™ (choose to remove comments, and watch videos with dim lights feature) http://clea.nr/ I love it.

There's not a video I've not come across I cannot watch. Except the ones that are so blocky due to how old they were made before all the HD media. Just poor bitrate.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
AppleMacFinder
93 months ago

That sounds like a lot of fun. Quit your browser every time you need to use Flash and load up Chrome (If I liked Chrome I'd already be using it). :rolleyes:

I like how Apple is disabling functionality in their OS (i.e. turning off the Java plug-in; too bad if you like playing cards on Yahoo Games or something) and then forcing YOU to go out of your way to look up how to turn it back on. How about a freaking SWITCH that asks you whether you WANT it disabled when they run that update rather than just screwing the user over by messing with his system without his permission. Is Apple even AWARE that THERE IS NO NEWER FLASH FOR 10.5!!!! So they kill ALL Flash support if you run that update. Stay the hell away from it! I'm starting to think Apple is the freaking malware. :mad:


Google Chrome's built-in Flash is the latest version.
So, it is possible to use the latest Flash on 10.5 by using Google Chrome.

Flash is becoming obsolete and unnecessary, since nearly all Youtube videos are already converted to HTML5.
Rating: 2 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]