Microsoft releasing emergency patch for perilous IE flaw

[Gunny]

by Glenn Chapman – Tue Dec 16, 5:49 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – Microsoft will release an emergency patch on Wednesday to fix a perilous software flaw allowing hackers to hijack Internet Explorer browsers and take over computers.

The US software giant said on Tuesday that in response to "the threat to customers" it immediately mobilized security engineering teams worldwide to deliver a software cure "in the unprecedented time of eight days."

According to researchers at software security firm Trend Micro, attacks based on the vulnerability in the world's most popular Web browser are spreading "like wildfire" with millions of computers already compromised.

Microsoft typically releases patches for its software on the second Tuesday of each month and rushing this fix to computer users out-of-cycle is testimony to the severe danger of the threat, according to Trend Micro.

"When the patch is released people should run, not walk, to get it installed," said Trend Micro advanced threat researcher Paul Ferguson.

Microsoft releasing emergency patch for perilous IE flaw - Yahoo! News

 

[KittenKoder]

This doesn't surprise me, and I am certain they will find many more along the way.

 

[tigerbob]

Get a Mac.

 

[NOBama]

I didn't get an email from them about this, so thanks for the heads-up.

Time to run a Backup.

 

[Lycurgus]

I have so many patches already, where will I find room for this one!

Thanks Gunny!

 

[KittenKoder]

Get a Mac.

Or switch to one of the other *nix systems. I recommend Linux since it's free, but if you have the money Unix rocks to. Though if you have the money for Unix you may as well buy a Mac.

 

[DavidS]

I stopped using IE when Dis put ads and NBC thingy up on the side. I switched to Firefox and got a lot better results.

 

[KittenKoder]

Firefox rules!

 

[Gunny]

Yahoo is pushing Firefox. I don't know much about different web browsers so I couldn't say if they're hawking they're own brand or not.

Just pointing it out as an option.

 

[Ravi]

How do you get the patch?

 

[Gunny]

How do you get the patch?

The article states the patch will be released Wed (today). I didn't see any instructions nor links so I would assume you have to go to microsoft.com and see what they have.

I'll see if I can find something.

 

[Ravi]

The article states the patch will be released Wed (today). I didn't see any instructions nor links so I would assume you have to go to microsoft.com and see what they have.

I'll see if I can find something.

That would be wonderful. I use Firefox except when one of my Microsoft programs forces me to use IE so I think I'll still need the patch.

 

[Gunny]

How do you get the patch?

Latest Computer Security Updates: December 2008 - Microsoft Security

 

[Frolicking Dino]

Switched to FoxFire, Thunderbird for email and to OpenOffice for other needs to avoid having MS programs make me use IE. I only have IE installed on one computer in the house and it's not this one. All of these are free and they work better than any of the MS products.

I'm getting ready to convert one of the computers over to Linux. While I doubt He-Dino will ever quit sucking the MS teat, She-Dino has had enough MS nonsense in this lifetime.

 

[007]

I stopped using IE when Dis put ads and NBC thingy up on the side. I switched to Firefox and got a lot better results.

Firefox rules!

Yup. Been running Firefox myself now for awhile. Love it. It's got a spell checker that runs real time as you type. I know a few here that could really use that.

 

[Diuretic]

How do you get the patch?

If you run XP then you can enable automatic updates and as soon as you boot and XP runs then it will start to download the updates (you'll see a little yellow icon in the bottom toolbar usually on the right hand side).

 

[Diuretic]

Opera is a very good browser. I have a problem with it only that the latest Linux version seems not to want to run Flash so no YouTube but I use Firefox for that. But it's a fine browser.

 

[Perham]

IE, what a joke! I bet Microsoft employees use firefox too. I think microsoft should get rid of windows altogether and start developing their own version of linux. imagine that, Microsoft Linux, what an oxymoron!

 

[KittenKoder]

Yahoo is pushing Firefox. I don't know much about different web browsers so I couldn't say if they're hawking they're own brand or not.

Just pointing it out as an option.

One major difference is the HTML support. IE is still far behind in that and Firefox is moving ahead faster. Pages render more accurately in FF as a result. Other than that it's mostly because Firefox has a LOT more customizations available, and a ton of little toys you can add on easily.

The only difference use to be just preference, but Firefox has just progressed faster.

 

[KittenKoder]

IE, what a joke! I bet Microsoft employees use firefox too. I think microsoft should get rid of windows altogether and start developing their own version of linux. imagine that, Microsoft Linux, what an oxymoron!

Since they keep trying to copy Mac they may just do that soon enough. LOL