Flash flaw may prompt Wii to 'hang'

Nintendo's Wii gaming console could be at risk from vulnerabilities within Adobe's Flash software, incorporated in the console's Opera-based web browser, security firm Symantec has warned. The vulnerability, which affects Flash .FLV video files, means creators could send gamers a link to a "specially crafted video" that once …

[Eric]

Had that happen yesterday

But I wasn't watching video, I was looking at houses on realtor.com with their flash player. Has to unplug the console from the wall, what a pain. The console's reset button didn't even work!

[Joe K]

Who the hell cares?!

This is news? That a duff site might crash your browser?

So just frigging reboot and don't go back to that site, hardly like its ripping your bank details.

"venerability" my arse. I notice that Symantec are sniffing around the lampost, obviously desperately hoping a virus comes out on the Wii/PS3 so they can flog some more crappy software.

[Anonymous Coward]

Eh?

What sort of sad loser wants to carry out a DOS attack on a games console?

[James Pickett]

Who tipped off Symantec..

..Microsoft?

Amused how making a Wii crash is headline news, while anything MS that didn't crash would be equally amazing...

[Anonymous Coward]

Is this the first vulnerability found for the Wii?

If so, it took a hell of a lot longer than it did to find one on the iPhone. :)

[A J Stiles]

No surprise

Yawn. Another piece of closed-source software, another vulnerability, blah blah.

What the hell is it going to take before governments impose a simple OUTRIGHT BAN on closed-source software?

Wake me up when it happens.

[AndyB]

So what?

That's what the reset button's for!

[alistair millington]

Is that it?

The only thing that crashes on the Wii is an add on for viewing certain file types on certain web pages. Which not many people would actually care about when web browsing.

People cope with Windows and all of it's myriad of problems and they still sell consoles and operating systems.

So I still can't see a reason not to buy the console. Cheap, healthy (you played the tennis?), cheerful, addictive.

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah? Well..

Use Linux or OSX instead! HA HA HA *snort* Picard rules Shatner drools! Oh, and M$ sucks! Yeah!

Just kidding, seems to be the standard response to all internet stories these days.

I finally got my hands on a Wii and was a little annoyed to find that the coveted browsing capability was a priced add on. Not so much because I didn't have the 5 bucks (I did) but because Opera's site regarding their Wii partnership still says it's free. However, I ponied up and it works fairly nicely, though I'm still waiting for a Wiiboard to use instead of the shakey point/click/type method now.

I do have to say I was wondering how one "upgrades" the browser on a regular basis via this thing though. I have a similar problem with my WinCE phone where IE updates are still a head scratcher. 3rd party apps are no big deal, but I'll be damned if I can upgrade WMP or IE as needed. I'm guessing I'm going to run into similar problems with content players on the Wii.