BBB Tip of the Week

Your computer may have been hacked and it’s not your fault. Over the past few months hackers have exploited three different vulnerabilities in the Adobe Flash Player software. The Flash Player is a widely common software application used to play videos, including video advertisements.

Hackers have used the vulnerabilities to create “drive-by-download” attacks. These types of attacks occur when an exploited video or video advertisement is on a website that someone is browsing. Using malware, the hacker can remotely take control of a user’s PC or Mac system through the advertising platform. Security experts believe hackers are focusing so intensely on Flash because it is so prevalent.

Adobe has released a security update for Flash. Those who opt to automatically download Adobe Flash updates have already received the patches. For those who don’t automatically update Flash, the security update can be downloaded at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/. Also, Adobe has issued a security bulletin on how to update different systems and browsers at http://adobe.ly/1DJVOXu.

For anyone worried about hackers, setting the Click-to-Play option within browsers may be the best option. This prevents Flash videos from automatically playing. Users must then click on the video ad before it plays. Advice from the website Tom’s Guide, at http://bit.ly/1zOLH4h, gives steps for activating the Click-to-Play option within the Add-ons settings in Firefox, the Plug-ins settings of Chrome, and through several steps within the Extensions section of Internet Explorer 9, 10 and 11.

The Better Business Bureau encourages you to keep your anti-virus and anti-malware programs up-to-date and scan your system regularly. Educate yourself and your family on cyber safety best practices by visiting http://go.bbb.org/1vGErYH and www.onguardonline.gov.

For more tips you can trust, visit www.bbb.org/blog or call (509) 455-4200.

By Erin T. Dodge