Serious security flaw found in IE

Message

BikerGran · #1 Post by **BikerGran** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:48 pm

according to the beeb

Anyone have any more info?

Samray · #2 Post by **Samray** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:42 pm

It seems for the moment you are probably mainly at risk from gaming or porn sites .... but the patch needs to come out quickly before it is everywhere.

It's another Chinese export.

Aladinsaneuk · #3 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:57 pm

and that is why I use firefox on my computers

(even on my macs! Foxmarks just makes life so easy - different computers, same favourites etc)

BikerGran · #4 Post by **BikerGran** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:23 pm

Bearing in mind my brain's not what it was, and I'm still trying to get used to IE7 - how different would it be using Firefox?

And DON'T say download it and try - anything like that's a big deal for me!

Samray · #5 Post by **Samray** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:45 pm

One week on and I dont really consider it a cause for panic, but make sure your antivirus and windows updates are done daily.
The patch should be on an update today ... allegedly.

BikerGran · #6 Post by **BikerGran** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:03 pm

Thanks sam, that's what I wanted to hear - hubby was panicking cos it was in the paper today!

My AV updates several times a day but I haven't been offered an MS update today.

lazarus · #7 Post by **lazarus** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:07 am

Aladinsaneuk wrote:and that is why I use firefox on my computers

(even on my macs! Foxmarks just makes life so easy - different computers, same favourites etc)

Its no more than a week since Trend Micro were warning about a vulnerability on Firefox (which I use too) and which allowed the installation of a trojan.

Aladinsaneuk · #8 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:58 am

true - all browsers have holes - good news is, mac os is a lot tighter than windoze - as is linux for that matter :)

what I would say though is - due to the inherent failings of microsoft operating system to remain secure, I would not choose to use Internet Explorer, which is also, by its inherent design, open to security flaws

What I would say, and perhaps other folks may agree with, is that the risk of malware/adware opening up a security hole in your system is as great as being hit by a virus - therefore I would be religious about using spybot and adaware on a weekly basis.
(Note those names - - many other malware removal tools are crap, cost a lot and will inflict problems on your system - just spybot and adaware - both are free - do not even try trials of other products with out doing extensive research).

(also use something like http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm to sort the adverts out)

I would also take warnings from security companies re specific viruses - my cynical nature tells me that they seem to be good at promoting their own products....

#9 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 9:50 am

The difference as I see it between Internet Exploder and Firefox is that Exploder was designed by Microsoft to be tightly integrated into the base Operating System. So when a vulnerability is found in IE it also has potential ramifications for the OS.

Firefox is not integrated in to the OS, and is just another application, so gaining control of Firefox is less likely to give the hackers control of the base OS.

Aladinsaneuk · #10 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:47 am

Agreed

as a test I just went over my wifes pc and cleaned it up - she insists on using IE and i was quite amazed at how many malware things were on it - she does insist on using lots of web based baby related utilities and then complains about pop up windows of baby based adverts.... am not saying that these two things are connected but....

fortunately her system is immunized by spybot and teatime stops anything silly happening

my own pc - yes i do stil lhave one for playing games on - only uses firefox and i tend to be very careful about what is running, showed a couple of cookies of malware

Samray · #11 Post by **Samray** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:39 pm

Critical IE 7 fix is now available

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1773

Microsoft said the patch applies to “over 300 versions of IE across more than 25 languages.” The patch was developed in nine days and will be pushed out by the company’s automatic patching mechanisms.