Ned SLider said: >> > >> >> Indeed, but why does flash need the ability to bind ports, open remote >> connections, download executable files and run them? It's primary >> function is to be a web-based multimedia player, or so I thought. >> SELinux provides solutions to many of these issues by reasonably >> restricting what things such as flash can do based on least privilege. >> Same argument for .doc/xls/ppt or any other file formats - why does a >> word processed document of spreedsheet need the ability to execute >> arbitrary embedded code? Unfortunately, Windows does not offer such >> protections and is quite happy to encourage users to run everything with >> unrestricted privileges based on some perceived notion of usability. >> >> Hi,
there are uses for many of these features, in Rich Internet Apps. Flash also is - in fact - fairly restricted as to what it may do to its environment (sandboxing), so it will not create arbitrary connections. It is, however, allowed to redirect to any webpage, like a html page could do (using a meta refresh or javascript) However, in this particular case, the flash is completely harmless and just displays an animation. The bad thing is a html link to an exe file, right below the flash object inside the same html. All the flash does is attracting attention ... a static jpeg image could do the same >> Wolfgang Hamann
