14 DAY TRIAL // A new version of Apple’s standard web browser has been released for Macintosh and Windows platforms. It brings improvements to performance, stability, compatibility, and security, as well as some important changes, such as no support for old version of the Flash Player plug-in on Macs.
Apple documents two changes that apply to both Safari for Lion and Safari for Windows.
One is improved responsiveness when the system is low on memory, the other is a fixed issue that could affect websites using forms to authenticate users.
For Lion users only, Safari 5.1.7 fixes an issue that could prevent webpages from responding after using a pinch-to-zoom gesture, and “disables versions of Adobe Flash Player that do not include the latest security updates,” Apple clearly states.
Apple outlines that “this update disables Adobe Flash Player if it is older than 10.1.102.64 by moving its files to a new directory,” and that it “presents the option to install an updated version of Flash Player from the Adobe website.”
Apple offers more information about Safari 5.1.7 and this specific change regarding Flash via this KB article.
Safari 5.1.7 has its own security side, which Apple documents in yet another KB article on its Support site.
All the vulnerabilities are WebKit-bound and affect Mac OS X v10.6.8, Mac OS X Server v10.6.8, OS X Lion v10.7.4, OS X Lion Server v10.7.4, Windows 7, Vista, XP SP2 or later.
Multiple cross-site scripting issues, a corruption issue, and a state tracking issue exist in WebKit.
Left unpatched, these flaws could lead to the following scenarios:
- Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to a cross-site scripting attack; - Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution; - A maliciously crafted website may be able to populate form inputs on another website with arbitrary values. Download Safari for Mac OS X (Free)