Adobe Flash’s ubiquity is well-known. It is why the plugin is such a target for malware and it is also a very good reason why individuals need to know about configuring it to match their preferences.
Flash Player can be configured in two different locations: locally and online. The local configuration is found by right-clicking on a Flash object embedded in a website, for example, the Flash Player Version test page, and then selecting Global Settings.
This will open the Flash Player Settings Manager, which can also be accessed through the Control Panel on Windows with the view set to small icons.
- Windows: click Start > Settings > Control Panel > Flash Player
- Macintosh: System Preferences (under Other) click Flash Player
- Linux Gnome: System > Preferences > Adobe Flash Player
- Linux KDE: System Settings > Adobe Flash Player
The Settings Manager allows you to control many things like automatic updates, networking settings, camera and microphone access, and local storage.
The settings configured locally supersede the global settings configured using the Online Settings Manager. You can access the Global Settings panel through the Flash Player Help site. It allows access to the settings through a slightly different interface and it is still important to review the settings to ensure they agree with you.
For more details on managing Adobe Flash Player, deploying it, and these settings, consult the Adobe Flash Player Administration Guide.