Posted on 01/10/2005 12:27:50 PM PST by Born Conservative
Secunia recommends users drop IE and use an alternative browser. "Although hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on securing SP2, perfection is impossible," the security firm said in a statement.
Millions of Internet Explorer 6 users are at risk from three "extremely critical" security holes that give hackers open access to PCs running the browser -- even if Windows XP Service Pack Two has been installed.
The first issue centers on the browser's drag-and-drop capability, which does not validate new files correctly.
This means that, potentially, a document downloaded from a Web page using drag and drop may contain malicious code.
The other problems affect all Windows systems, including those protected by Local Computer zone lockdown, which comes with SP2.
The first allows specially designed (.hhk) files to be used to include malicious code on systems, and the second stems from a zone restriction error that could allow code to be downloaded from Web sites involuntarily.
At least one of the flaws was reported to Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) last year, but no patches have so far been made available.
Security firm Secunia has released an advisory warning that the holes are "extremely critical" and recommends users dump IE and use an alternative browser.
"Although hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on securing SP2, perfection is impossible. Through the joint effort of Michael Evanchik and Paul from Greyhats Security a very critical vulnerability has been developed that can compromise a user's system without the need for user interaction besides visiting the malicious page," Secunia warned in a statement.
Agreed. The economy "forced" companies to buy Windows, and people followed along in order to remain compliant with the companies. The only thing Bill did was market Windows so well, everyone still thinks they "need" it.
I haven't used Windows on my computer for several years now, and I don't miss it one bit. I get plenty of the types of games I'm interested in, none of the BSODs, and none of the virii. I get all the software I want/need, and I can interact perfectly well with others who still believe they "need" Windows.
"He forced you to buy it, did he???"
I have bought previous version of Windows WITHOUT these issues. There is NO DISCLOSURE with regard to these new modules etc.
Apple on the other hand ... Install quicktime on a PC and watch it takeover your machine. It invades other applciations and refuses to configure otherwise. Want specifics? Adobe Premiere worked fine and after a Quicktime installation Premiere would never run without Quicktime attempting to go on the internet. That PC has no internet. The Quicktime message when I ran Premiere would never stop until I uninstalled Apple garbage.
Apple...No thanks.
I've never had Firefox lock up on me although I've had problems in the past with Netscape, Operan and IE. The biggest problem I've had with Firefox was the beta version which didn't have all the modules installed but the 1.0 version runs beautifully. Seems to run faster than IE so I guess it's less of a resource hog.
Go to: Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Add/Remove Windows components (left hand margin of the window), scroll down and uncheck Windows Messenger, click next, celebrate in ridiculous happiness and glee in your freedom from Winodws Messenger, buy BureaucratusMaximus a beer if we are ever to meet in person.
I've seen other people say that too. I've been using it for over a month now with not a single problem. Beats me.
What is "internet explorer?" Is that one of those old browsers people used to use before Firefox.
How quaint that some still use it...
Well to be fair, Firefox does not work with WebEx. So I have to use Netscape 4 or better.
I've had it lock up when encountering pages containing SVG and or VML.
next thing the firefox/linux crowd will be out saying, 'see, i told you ms was EVIL...'
Just wait until those software packages are mainstream & the same thing will happen. Its just that right now, they are such an insignificant part of the market, who cares what problems they have?
I just went to the Microsoft site to get a security update. It asked me for my product key. I found the darned CD and typed it in. It told me it was invalid. I typed it a second time. It told me it was still invalid and that I have one last chance to key it in. I ain't trying it again. I hate this product key stuff.
I have maybe 30 MS CDs for 7 PCs. Keeping track of which ones go to which PCs is a nightmare and the cotton-pickin things are getting harder to read as my hair gets grayer.
I'm probably going to switch to Apple or that penguin stuff.
No fooling!!!!
The second Windows Messenger is a security flaw that allows others to communicate with your PC through the back door. The best way to lock the back door is to disable this "messenger" and prevent it from loading in the first place (you can't uninstall it). To do that, go to start, administrative tools, and then services. Scroll down until you see "messenger." Right click, the click properties, and then click the drop down box, which probably says either "automatic" or "manual." Reset for "disable."
Browser Wars, take two
various FR links | 12-22-04 |
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1306815/posts
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