Vivaldi browser and Flash Player applications after December 2020
-
As you know, Flash player applications won't be able to run in Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox after December 2020.
What about Vivaldi? I've read this article:
https://vivaldi.com/es/blog/flashback/But I still have doubts. Can anyone confirm that Flash applications will be able to run in Vivaldi in January 2021?
Or, because Vivaldi is Chromium based, after December 2020 won't run? If so, would they run in old version of Vivaldi like 2.7 or 2.10?Any help or confirmation is much appreciated, as we have an enterprise application developed in Flash and we are evaluating alternatives to Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox after December 2020.
Kind regards.
-
@adrianfernandez said in Vivaldi browser and Flash Player applications after December 2020:
enterprise application developed in Flash and we are evaluating alternatives to Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox
what?
I'd suggest to replace the whole IT department if they can't see the problem is Flash being dismissed by everyone. -
The problem your enterprise is going to encounter is that once Flash support has ended by its maker, it will rapidly disappear entirely from browser support as well. That means that to access it, your enterprise will have to use obsolete browsers to access whatever Flash app you're referring to. Unless you put in place some heavy-duty blocking of those browsers from accessing the 'outside' Internet, you're going to run into major security risks. The very numerous Flash exploits "in the wild" are not going to just evaporate too when Flash goes out of support, so those obsolete browsers will become major security risks, if only for Flash reasons, unless you prevent them from browsing "outside".
-
Thank you @Gwen-Dragon and @Blackbird for your answers.
I'm concerned about the security risks, but until we do the technology migration we have to offer a workaround to the users after December 2020.
If I understood well, Flash players applications WON'T run in Vivaldi or other Chromium-based browsers after December 2020.
But they WILL run in Vivaldi and other browsers old versions (for example Vivaldi 2.7 or 2.10) that currently support Flash, after December 2020.Can anyone confirm this last point? Or will Flash applications be restricted somehow by Adobe or Chromium based browsers after December 2020, no matter which browser version you use?
It's important for us to know this for sure, to ensure that users will be able to uses the applications in January 2021, in case we haven't completed the migration to other technology.
Thanks in advance.
-
@adrianfernandez said in Vivaldi browser and Flash Player applications after December 2020:
I'm concerned about the security risks
browsers old versions (for example Vivaldi 2.7 or 2.10)
These statements contradict each other!! You should NOT be recommending old browsers if you are concerned about security.
-
@adrianfernandez No way flash will work on January on recent browsers.
I guess Vivaldi will follow the flash dead-line
And I fear on that date, December, will be removed even on more "conservative" browsers.
About recommending (potentially insecure) softwares the choice is yours: any legacy browser may work (or not) with the "last" flash player plugin (npapi/ppapi) which won't receive anymore any security fix and will become even more easier to exploit. -
Thank you all for your answers and help.
We all agree that it's a security issue using old browsers running Flash after December 2020, as it's not supported by Adobe and browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. We agree on that.
Problem is that, if we don't meet the deadlines for migrating, in December 2020 we'd have two options: having a security issue because of running our application in an old browser, or NOT USING THE FLASH APPLICATION AT ALL. And believe me if I tell you that last option is not a good option either.
So, what I try to know, if it's Vivaldi 2.10 (or any old version) will be able to run Flash applications in January 2021, or if there's some other restriction we don't know and won't allow to run this applications in 2021.
I would like to have an official confirmation of this from Vivaldi to see the options we have. As @Gwen-Dragon suggested, I've already threw this question to the Support team.
-
@adrianfernandez While it's not a Vivaldi official answer, logic would say that code that's already in a browser (and its extensions/plug-ins) should continue working as it always has until that code is altered. With Vivaldi, if you block any updating to the browser or its extensions/plug-ins, then their code should remain functional as it always was for Flash code that is internal and under your exclusive control. The key is to 'freeze from updating' the code configurations of all the pieces involved. It's not like there is some magical "kill" switch in the browser code that makes the Flash code disappear at some date.
-
I would rather delete flash and use VLC player or an HTML5 program. I do not think much of Flash at all; an annoying thing; it puts a small "sparkle file" on my hard drive, and I have to delete it. What I am going to do is configure Vivaldi to open an external player. The sooner Flash goes the better!
-
Hi,
I'd like to know if anyone knows about any change on the question and answers I got for this topic.
Can anyone from Vivaldi confirm that we will be able to run a Flash application in Vivaldi 2.10 or other old version in January 2021? And that, besides the security issue, we won't have any other risk on that (for example something that deactivates Flash in Vivaldi 2.10)?
Thanks.
-
@adrianfernandez The browsers which still support flash (IE, old Firefox ESR, Palemoon, old Vivaldis) still may support the latest version of the plugin if Adobe doesn't decide to block it remotely (which I doubt will happen).
-
Thanks @Hadden89 and @Gwen-Dragon for your replies.
If you check point 4 here:
https://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/end-of-life.htmlIt says:
"Adobe will be removing Flash Player download pages from its site and Flash-based content will be blocked from running in Adobe Flash Player after the EOL Date."So, even if we use Vivaldi 2.10, won't we be able to run a Flash application because Adobe is going to block it? Does it mean that we'll need an old version of Flash Player, too?
Regarding Vivaldi 3.x: do you mean that current 3.0 won't be able to run it in January 2021? Or future newer versions of Vivaldi?
Thanks.
-
@adrianfernandez It's not clear. It says will be blocked (but may refer to older flash versions) but then it says the user shouldn't use the [latest version] plugin as it is totally unsupported [due EOL] which will be removed on the site.
I wouldn't exclude that someone will patch the plugin - which is not exactly legal and will multiply the security issues - if a remote block from adobe happen.
I fear you must ask this to someone into the Adobe team. Also for asking them ways to how migrate your app from flash.
-
I have firefox 45esr installed also.(this is for pure nostalgic reasons when firefox was firefox and gave us complete themes.).And i use pale moon browser too and they will continue flash use for as long as sites support it.I use approximately 4 flash sites for online games and it is expected they will continue to run.I see no security issues with this unless one or all of those 4 sites were compromised.
That is my plan anyway.
-
Thank you all for your answers. I've thrown this question to Adobe, too, but answers are not quite clear.
@Gwen-Dragon, when you say this:
"A Vivaldi developer told me in internal chat, that Vivaldi will not support Flash Player after December 2020."
Do you mean newer versions of Vivaldi after December 2020, right? But not the old ones.Thank you all.
-
@adrianfernandez Of course, vivaldi follow the chromium timeline. When flash support will totally removed, the blink engine won't support the plugin anymore (older versions still may)
-
@adrianfernandez There is some 'fog' in the Adobe "blocking" wording at their site you noted. Either they are merely trying to strongly discourage future Flash usage after EOL or they have installed (or will) a "kill-switch" in the player (and/or in the Flash site-code development kits) that will block it after the EOL date. Their same wording is also repeated in their Point 7. Right now, probably only Adobe knows for sure which interpretation is accurate, and from your attempts to contact them directly, appear not to be too forthcoming about which interpretation is true. What is almost certain is that Adobe is trying to very carefully thread through a legal minefield of post-EOL responsibility should Flash malware continue evolving (which it will) and illegitimate 3rd-parties pop up offering new "Flash" players after the EOL date (which will also happen). If both browser and site Flash code exists that lacks a kill switch, then Flash usage by some folks would continue, Flash-based infections would continue, and legal issues regarding Adobe's liability would continue. They are clearly trying to build a wall against such legal action by showing full-effort on their part at terminating Flash usage after EOL.
-
@Blackbird agree with you in every single point. In my opinion, in 2021 old browsers will allow to run Flash, and I guess there will be illegitimate 3rd-parties with new browsers or solutions. But of course that Adobe can't talk about this.
Problem is that as a enterprise application, we need to know there's a solution that will run 100% in January 2021. Vivaldi says that 2.x versions will be able to run it, but to be 100% sure I guess we'll have to wait and see that there's not a "kill-switch" installed.
-
Adobe will insert a switch in the last flash player update,It rather depends how you use flash. If it is for specific sites.(like how i use it) then it is up to the webmasters involved if flash will be supported and most flash sites and applications will not suddenly stop in december,it will be a gradual process.
On linux you can use v11.2,and before people say this is insecure well it still works and any security issues will only come from your chosen sites.
I will use flash for as long as i can on chosen gamesite because the whole web does not have to follow the leader.
-
@Priest72 , the gradual elimination of Flash has been taking place for a long time and websites that use it are still getting scarcer, there are only some very old and neglected pages that still use it, which means that not only Flash is a risk to security, but also gradually these pages themselves.
The alternatives, Html5, WebGL, Unity, etc, which is commonly used today, have a great advantage over Flash, as they do not require a certain plug-in from a specific company such as Adobe and works also in mobile.