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Is there a way to watch netflix without microsoft silverlight?

I am uneasy to add anything microsoft.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on May 29, 2012 4:42 PM

Reply
16 replies

May 29, 2012 4:45 PM in response to davespath

Ask Net Flix. We are users just like you but with no connection to Net Flix. If you're afraid of MS products then don't use them and don't watch Net Flix movies.


I'm not aware that there is any issue with using MS products on the Mac. I certainly have no issue with them. I have no idea why you would be "uneasy."

May 29, 2012 4:54 PM in response to davespath

davespath wrote:


I am uneasy to add anything microsoft.


You should be.


Apple has updated OS X to disable Java and Flash if it's not used or outdated, however nothing was done about Silverlight far as I know, which did have a major security issue recently.


And with Safari unfortunately, one can't select what plug-ins they have and simply disable the one not commonly used, so every web site you visit you have Silverlight enabled, so that makes any site able to hack your machine through Silverlight's insecurities.


You can choose to use Firefox instead, it has the ability to disable plug-ins on a individual basis, so you can turn off Silverlight when not on Netflix.


You can also read here about using NoScript with Firefox, which will disable all scripts unless you specifically approve for each site, instead of the other way around with Safari.


Harden your Mac against malware attacks

May 29, 2012 6:30 PM in response to ds store

Silverlight doesn't exist as an Internet Plug-In. It functions as a standalone application so far as I can tell.


I don't have a NetFlix account to test, so do you know that what you download from NetFlix lives in the Internet Plug-In folder?


Even if it does live as an Internet Plug-In it would not be in use when one is not using NetFlix. So, I'm not sure why you consider it a problem. Nor do I understand how it relates to malware.


I guess your information blew enough smoke to confuse the OP into thinking it was meaningful. 🙂

May 29, 2012 9:31 PM in response to Kappy

Kappy wrote:


Silverlight doesn't exist as an Internet Plug-In.


User uploaded file


User uploaded file



I don't have a NetFlix account to test


Don't need a Netflix account, you can install Silverlight independently of Netflix.


https://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/get-started/install/default.aspx



Even if it does live as an Internet Plug-In it would not be in use when one is not using NetFlix.


Why not? It's a plug-in and any web site can call it just like it can Flash or Java or Quicktime.



So, I'm not sure why you consider it a problem. Nor do I understand how it relates to malware.


Because there are security vulnerabilities for Silverlight like there are for Flash and Java which malware like Flashback compromised 600,000 Mac's by.


So if you have it always enabled, it's on for every web site one visits, malicious or not.


Safari doesn't give a individual plug-in turn off method, it's all or nothing approach so one can't tailor the plug-ins to suit one's browsing preferences to remain more secure.



I guess your information blew enough smoke to confuse the OP into thinking it was meaningful.


No smoke or confusion on mine or the OP's part.


Read my Hardening your Mac, it's got me past MacDefender and Flashback malware by reducing my exposure window.

May 29, 2012 9:29 PM in response to ds store

I'm sort of puzzled because I have Silverlight on my system but there is no Silverlight plug-in. Is this just a special version for NetFlix that runs as a browser plug-in?


There are security vulnerabilities all over the place, but hardly enough to create a major scare over something. I've yet to have any problem with Silverlight which has been on my computer now for several years. I even used it quite a while back for NetFlix movies when streaming was a freebie.


As usual I think you overstate the issue.

May 29, 2012 9:51 PM in response to Kappy

Kappy wrote:


I'm sort of puzzled because I have Silverlight on my system but there is no Silverlight plug-in. Is this just a special version for NetFlix that runs as a browser plug-in?


Far as I know it's a clone of Flash like, with DRM capability. It's the same, no special version except for the DRM.


Look in your "Hard drive"/Library/Internet Plug-ins folder, it's not in your Users Library or System/Library folder.


If you want to uninstall it, the instructions are here


https://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/get-started/install/removing-silverligh t-mac.aspx



I've yet to have any problem with Silverlight which has been on my computer now for several years. I even used it quite a while back for NetFlix movies when streaming was a freebie.


Perhaps you need to run a check it's likely outdated and vulnerable. 🙂


https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/plugincheck/




There are security vulnerabilities all over the place, but hardly enough to create a major scare over something.



The OP wants to reduce their exposure window to Microsoft software, since they can't not use it and use Netflix, so I gave the answer for disabling it for all other sites but Netflix.


Seems the OP is well pleased with the compromise solution, no scare campaign as there isn't anything attacking Silverlight on Mac's yet far as we know.


Of course we didn't know about Flashback until it was already 600,000 Mac's strong.... LOL 🙂

May 29, 2012 11:18 PM in response to ds store

I do NOT have Silverlight polluting my Mac. However, I have seen it pop up when installing TeleStream's Flip4Mac WMV to Quicktime converter & plugin. In the old days, you would get hitched with Silverlight if you did the default install instead of customizing. Nowadays they seem to have learned the error of their ways and include a separate and independent Silverlight installer.

May 29, 2012 11:41 PM in response to ds store

ds store wrote:


with Safari unfortunately, one can't select what plug-ins they have and simply disable the one not commonly used, so every web site you visit you have Silverlight enabled, so that makes any site able to hack your machine through Silverlight's insecurities.

I use the Safari Extension ClickToPlugin to do just that. It works just like ClickToFlash did but for every plugin you don't exclude.


Caution: If you are using ClickToFlash, you must uninstall it to use ClickToPlugin.

Is there a way to watch netflix without microsoft silverlight?

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