Enabling Flash for the SR or WFR Web Interface in Newer Browsers

This article applies to:

• Security Reporter (all versions)
• Web Filtering and Reporting Suite (WFR) (all versions) 
• Safari 10 and above
• Google Chrome 55 and above

Question:

• Why is my browser requesting permission to run Flash for the SR or WFR user interface?

Reply:

• Google (Chrome 55) and Apple (Safari 10) have changed how their browsers handle the Adobe Flash Player plugin. The browsers will now ask the user for permission to run Flash for each website that requires it. In the past, Flash ran automatically when a website required it.
• Apple made this change with the release of Sierra operating system on Sept. 20, 2016. Apple also released an update to Safari on older operating systems. Google has announced plans to include this change in Chrome 55, which Google has stated is expected in early December 2016.
• In these browser versions, you have to enable Flash the first time you use the browser with a particular website. If you select "Always allow plugins" or "Use Every Time" with the SR or WFR interface, you will not be asked the next time you log in from the same workstation and browser. If you select the "Use Once" option (not recommended), you will be prompted to enable Flash each time you visit the SR or WFR site.

Notes:

• Flash takes a lot of resources to run and can be a security concern if not kept up to date. If you visit a malicious website, in older browser versions Flash can run silently without your knowledge. Since the new Safari 10 and Chrome 55 browsers will no longer run Flash automatically, you have the ability to control when Flash runs, and only allow it to run when visiting a trusted site. This behavior also has the benefit of limiting the amount of computer resources required to run the browser.