Flash won't work since the strange WU on the 4th October

[Taffy0872014]

Flash was a PITA for me - my HP envy is OEM and so I had to come to HP for my Flash driver updates. This was a concern because I usually get WUs four or five days after most and in that time my PC would (yet again) be vulnerable.

Then sometime ago Microsoft brought in a fix - their version of Flash, which they update. The last update from them for me was on the 13th September:

2017-09 Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems (KB4038806)

Flash was working fine until last week's strange*** WU:

2017-09 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems (KB4040724)

but it stopped working after that WU. I need Flash to view clips on the BBC (UK's equivalent of a Public Broadcasting Service) but what I see is a message that Flash needs updating. (Can't post png snip)

I see no obvious reason why this strange WU should have broken Flash but it has. Does anyone else have this problem? Should I now download Flash from HP? 

*** I say 'strange' because although the KB4040724 WU arrived on the 4th October it is shown in my WU Update History as a September WU, as you can see.

[Taffy0872014 · Accepted solution]

Some futher info that might help:

Here's what I had to do when going to HP to update Flash:

IE>Settings (via Gears icon)>Manage Add-ons>select 'All Add-ons' in SHOW>select Shockwave Flash Object>right-click to enable. Then instal the HP Flash Update. When done, repeat all this but select Disable.

Rather a heavy-handed procedure for Flash, probably the least secure of all Apps. So when Microsoft, in response to criticism, took control it was great.

If I now go to Manage All Add-ons, I see under "Microsoft Windows Third Party Application Component" the Shockwave Flash Object. It's enabled and hovering over it I see it's version 27.0.0.130, dated 2nd September, which is the one installed on my PC on the 13th September.

So, prior to the strange WU a few days ago, Flash was working but now it's not!