After fixing many of its security vulnerabilities – and they were many – Adobe Flash Player will continue to bring updates to its Linux version.
Recently, Adobe Player released an update that fixed 30 vulnerabilities that could have been used by malicious third parties for remote code execution.
At the same time, it will also design updates for Linux after Adobe representatives stated nearly four years ago that the NPAPI version for Linux would only receive security patches, but no other updates. As a result, there already is a beta version available for the Linux NPAPI Flash Player that will be synched with the modern release branch.
Right now, the company is distributing 32 to 64 binaries but better installers are scheduled to be released in the near future. They are currently being tested and will undergo a feedback stage afterwards.
The statement from Adobe acknowledged that they had communicated in the past that the NPAPI Linus releases would definitely stop, but that is no longer available. As a result, they will continue to make updates for NPAPI Linux and PPAPI Linux after they test and get feedback from users for this latest one.
Unfortunately, given that these updates are essentially a security initiative, users should not expect them to come with improved performance like GPU 3D acceleration or Premium video DRM. For those users who seek these particular features, Adobe recommends them to use the PPAPI version for Flash Player.
The fact that the updates are primarily a security initiative also means that the upcoming final NPAPI build will definitely redefine the function in terms of stability and security.
Therefore, users are urged to test the beta version of NPAPI Linux and come back with feedback so that Adobe could turn the function into a strong and secure final build.
As for those who use other platforms, they are advised to update their Adobe Flash Player, if they haven’t already.