Firefox is blocking Flash (by default)

If you’re a Firefox user and recently you may feel that each time you open a website, the Flash-based content won’t play properly. This is because Firefox has, by default blocked Adobe Flash Player from running automatically in its browser. This policy has been taken due to the discovery of numerous critical security flaws.

Since Monday, July 13, 2015, all of the old versions of the Adobe Flash Player (until the latest version 18.0.0.203) have been blocked automatically in Firefox browser.

If your Firefox browser still use the 18.0.203 or the older version of the Flash Player, you may find the warning message displayed at the top of your Firefox browser telling you that “Firefox has prevented the outdated plugin “Adobe Flash” from running on …….”. You have the choice to continue blocking the Flash to run or avoid the blocking by clicking the “Continue Blocking” or “Allow” button placed at the far right of the message.

This issue will not happen to you if you already have the newer version of Adobe Flash Player, 18.0.0.209 installed in your Firefox browser. To get it, you’ll need to manually download the plugin from the Adobe Flash Player website.

P.S If you don’t want to include the Optional offering from Adobe to install the free McAfee Security Scan Plus utility, please uncheck the “Optional offer” menu in the middle section of the Adobe Flash Player installing page.

What to DO when you can not post your blog to blogger.com using Live Writer

Do you ever experience that you can not post your blog to blogger.com using Windows Live Writer ? It seems that Google has blocked your blogger account because every time you try to post your blog it always returned with an error message. Is it true that Google has blocked your blogger account ?

As the user of Windows Live Writer, I’ve experienced this difficulty before. And after googling to find the answer, finally I found the answer of the problem.

From support.google.com, it said that :

Google may block sign in attempts from some apps or devices that do not  use modern security standards. Since these apps and devices are easier to break into, blocking them helps keep your account safer.

Some examples of apps that do not support the latest security standards include :

• The Mail app on your iPhone or iPad with iOS 6 or below
• The Mail app on your Windows phone preceding the 8.1 release
• Some Desktop mail clients like Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird

Further, it said that :

TO help keep your account secure, we may block these less secure apps from accessing your account, and you’ll see a “Password Incorrect” error when trying to sign in. If this is the case, you have two options :

• Upgrade to a more secure app that uses the most up to date security measures. All Google products, like Gmail, use the latest security measures
• Go to “Allow less secure apps” from your Google Account Sign-in & security setting. The button to turning on or off the “Allow less secure apps” setting can be found in “Connected apps & sites” menu.

If you choose the second option by turning on the “Allow less secure apps” from your Google Account, then you’ll be able to post your blog to blogger.com again by using Windows Live Writer.

But, please be noted that if you do this, later you’ll get an email from Google warning you that :

YOU are no longer protected by modern security standards. If you made this change please be aware that it is now easier for an attacker to break into you account.

I think if you still want to use Live Writer as your blogging tool to post your blog to blogger.com you have no other choice but to accept the risk and go ahead (HRD).