Because so many people were used to downloading Flash updates, cybercriminals began using fake flashplayer.exe files as a primary way to spread malware.
Even during its peak, version 18 was frequently patched to address critical security flaws. By 2015, the security community was already sounding alarms. For instance, in mid-2015 alone, hackers leveraged a breach of an Italian surveillance company to find new tools for bypassing Flash security, leading many experts to declare the software "good as dead". The Dark Side: Fake Installers Download flashplayer18 install exe
: Many users were tricked by messages claiming they needed a Flash update to view a video, only to download Trojans like Flashback or MadDownloader . Because so many people were used to downloading