Adobe Flash Player Install Manager (the application) checks for updates automatically, and will present you with a window asking if you want to continue with the install. That’s a legitimate application from Adobe. If you see something that looks like a Flash Player install window, and the app name is not exactly Adobe Flash Player Install Manager, quit the app immediately.
If you’re ever in doubt — or if it just makes you more comfortable — you can quit Adobe Flash Player Install Manager, go direct to Adobe.com and click on the Flash Player link (at the lower right when I just checked). The next page will allow you to download the Flash Player installer dmg. Open that, run the app inside, and you’ll get the same window as if Adobe Flash Player Install Manager started itself. It’s incredibly unlikely that Adobe’s site could be hacked, so this is a very safe way to keep Flash Player up to date. And, unless you never have Flash turned on, you need to keep Flash Player up to date.
Adobe Flash Player Install Manager can also be used to uninstall Flash Player.
Thanks to Stephen Hart
Additionally, depending on your OS (this works in Lion, at least) there is a Flash pane in System Preferences, where an option can be set to check for updates. If you click on it you’re taken to Adobe’s page where your Flash version is checked and the current version is noted, and if you don’t have the current version you’re directed to Adobe’s download page.
This is a sure way to keep Flash updated safely.
