Last week, on Patch Tuesday, Adobe released a new version of Flash that addresses a single critical vulnerability in previous versions.

The security bulletin for Flash 32.0.0.445 provides some additional context.

Anyone still using Flash, and in particular if Flash is enabled in Internet Explorer 11, Edge, or Google Chrome, should install the new version.

The easiest way to obtain the latest version of Flash is to go to the Get Flash page on the Adobe web site.

You’ll probably notice a warning at the top of the Get Flash page: “Important Reminder: Flash Player’s end of life is December 31st, 2020. Please see the Flash Player EOL Information page for more details.” That’s right, Flash is nearing the end of its troubled life.

Adobe plans to retire Flash at the end of 2020. After that, Adobe will no longer update or distribute Flash. They won’t fix security vulnerabilities, and you won’t be able to download it from Adobe’s web site. Adobe recommends removing Flash from all systems by the end of 2020.

Flash will live on, of course. But leaving Flash installed and enabled in browsers will become increasingly risky, as any new vulnerabilities will not be fixed by Adobe. If you must continute to use Flash for work-related activity, try to use it only as needed, and never to view content obtained from unverified Internet sources. Use a separate browser just for viewing Flash content if possible.