Adobe is slowly killing flash as HTML 5 takes over. Flash with it’s myriad of security issues needs to go. Java on the other hand has been so thoroughly breached that if you don’t know for sure you need to run it you need to remove it…now. There is now a Java exploit that allows any Java aplet to run any program at the maximum privledges available to java on any computer with no user interaction. this affects Linux, Mac, and Windows.
Java is a pervasive technology on yoru computer and simply uninstlaling it form your programs area isn’t enough:
http://krebsonsecurity.com/how-to-unplug-java-from-the-browser/
Version 7 is the latest version is version 7. Version 1.6 ios also problematic in many many other ways. If you don’t KNOW you need Java it is time it goes away.
Watch the first 16 minutes of this video that explains how bad this is..:(
Attackers Pounce on Zero-Day Java Exploit — Krebs on Security.