I reboot and get an ’emergency security update’ from Flash

Flash Update Message Apparently, it needed to install a security update. I don’t believe I’m using any flash applications that would keep the player in use, so why the pathetic dialog on the left after I installed it? This is one of those cases where pushing through the update makes more sense. As it is this only tells me that I need to reboot my computer to be safe from ‘flash viruses‘.
Is it that the flash component is so embedded in the operating system that updating it requires a reboot? If that’s the case then why? it’s only a little thing for displaying animations; not the end of the fricking world.