Let's start this week on a positive note with an important update from Google: Adobe Flash Player is losing its default status on Google Chrome. A recently published proposal reveals that HTML5 will replace Flash Player as the default experience on the browser, although users will still be able to activate Flash for specific sites as needed.

May 20, 2016

3 Min Read
Security Central: Google Chrome Benches Flash, Political Arena Battles Cyber Security Woes

By Chris

Let's start this week on a positive note with an important update from Google: Adobe Flash Player is losing its default status on Google Chrome. A recently published proposal reveals that HTML5 will replace Flash Player as the default experience on the browser, although users will still be able to activate Flash for specific sites as needed.

Google's decision to put Flash in the backseat is just the latest indication of the software's demise. Flash has fallen out of favor with the rapid increase of vulnerabilities, many of which are zero days. Last year alone, Adobe Flash Player ranked number three in VentureBeat's list of software with the most publicly disclosed vulnerabilities (Flash disclosed 314). With the growing concern of attacks involving Flash, HTML5 is increasingly favored as a more secure alternative. HTML5 also has the benefit of being faster and lighter on power consumption.  

User experience aside, however, the move should be advantageous in the face of today's threatscape. As this week comes to a close, we're reminded of several cyber battlefronts to keep on our radar.

On Wednesday, LinkedIn reported that hackers are seeking to sell more than 100 million user credentials that were compromised in a data breach back in 2012. The data is up for sale for five bitcoin (roughly $2,200) on The Real Deal, an illegal marketplace on the dark web. The initial scope of the breach was thought to be around 6.5 million email addresses and passwords, which has turned out to be a significant underestimation. In the company's statement, LinkedIn reassures users that it is invalidating affected accounts and working with account holders to reset passwords.

Cyber attacks are also plaguing domestic and international political arenas this week. US National Intelligence Director James Clapper has warned of growing threat of attacks ranging from defacement to intrusions on US presidential campaigns. While no specific incidents were disclosed, Clapper cautioned that there have been "indications of hacking attempts" against more than one campaign and affiliated organization, some of which warranted briefings for congressional committees. He expects attacks to become more frequent as the campaigns head into the general election.

Additionally, the New York Times reported this week that Chinese officials are subjecting consumer products from big foreign companies – including Apple – to security reviews. While the reviews are said to safeguard against spying, tech companies fear that these reviews, which reportedly focus on encryption and data storage, can be used to identify technology trade secrets or expose vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit.

According to the report, many companies worry about the precedent this policy could set. In addition to being costly, separate security reviews for different countries could increase the likelihood of compromising trade secrets.

Chinese authorities have been tight-lipped about the parameters and actual objectives of the reviews, allowing fears about Chinese market access and future policies to escalate. This latest controversy likely won't help to assuage tensions between China and the U.S., particularly since many of the nations' grievances have been rooted in digital security.

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