Adobe has issued Flash Player security updates for OS X, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS to address "critical vulnerabilities that could potentially allow an attacker to take control of the affected system" by way of ransomware.
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a user's hard drive and demands payment in order to decrypt it. These type of threats often display images or use voice-over techniques containing instructions on how to pay the ransom.
In this particular "CERBER" attack (via Reuters), affecting Flash-based advertisements, attackers have reportedly demanded between around $500 and $1,000, to retrieve the encrypted files. Adobe says it is aware of Windows 10 being "actively exploited" by this attack, but it is unclear if any Macs have actually been victimized. Just last month, popular BitTorrent client Transmission was temporarily infected with the first ransomware found on the Mac platform.
Currently, all servers hosting these malvertisements are now inaccessible. Some reports mentioned that CERBER is being peddled in the Russian underground market as ransomware-as-service (RaaS). This not only proves the suggestion presented by the configuration file’s code above, but also confirms that we will be seeing more of CERBER in the near future.Adobe recommends that Flash Player users on Mac update to version 21.0.0.213 through the update mechanism within the software when prompted, or by visiting the Adobe Flash Player Download Center. Adobe Flash Player installations within Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer for Windows 8.1 or later should be automatically updated with the latest version of each browser. This is the second critical Flash Player security update for OS X and other platforms in the span of one month.
105 comments
The United States Justice Department is launching a broad antitrust review into whether major technology companies are unlawfully stifling competition, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The DoJ...
Apple this week released iOS 12.4, the newest version of iOS 12 available for iPhones and iPads. One of the new features in iOS 12.4 is an updated data migration option that uses device to device...
Apple's mobile apps are often first in App Store search results ahead of competitors, according to a new analysis done by The Wall Street Journal.
For basic searches like "maps,"...
Apple plans to release an all-new 16-inch MacBook Pro in October, according to supply chain sources cited by Taiwan's Economic Daily News.
The report claims the 16-inch display will be a...
Apple is widely expected to unveil a trio of new iPhones in September, and 9to5Mac has revealed a few new features we can expect.
First, the report claims all three models will feature a...
Apple earlier this month introduced a surprise update to its MacBook Pro line, overhauling the entry-level 13-inch machine to bring it in line with more expensive models that were updated back in...
Apple is now in advanced talks to purchase Intel's smartphone modem chip business, reports The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with Apple's plans.
A deal that covers a...
Apple's iPhone XR was the best selling iPhone in the third fiscal quarter of 2019, according to new data shared today by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
The iPhone XS, iPhone...
