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Critical Vulnerability In Internet Explorer Found, Patch on the Way
Daily Tech ^

Posted on 12/17/2008 10:00:00 AM PST by Sub-Driver

Critical Vulnerability In Internet Explorer Found, Patch on the Way Jason Mick (Blog) - December 17, 2008 12:50 PM

A new security flaw discovered in Microsoft's Internet Explorer has the company and its customers losing much sleep

News broke in the security world earlier this week that a critical vulnerability had been found in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7. The vulnerability could be used to take over computers and is known to be currently being used to steal passwords.

Rick Ferguson, a senior security adviser at security firm Trend Micro says thus far the hole has only been exploited to steal online game passwords, but the attacks could become much more serious for unpatched users. He states, "It is inevitable that it will be adapted by criminals. It's just a question of modifying the payload the trojan installs."

The seriousness of the flaw was evidenced by Microsoft's rather public announcement of the vulnerability and panicked rush to develop a patch. So-called "out-of-band" announcements from Microsoft are rare.

In this case it made such an announcement, stating in a press release, "Microsoft teams worldwide have been working around the clock to develop a security update to help protect our customers. Until the update is available, Microsoft strongly encourages customers to follow the Protect Your Computer Guidance at www.microsoft.com/protect, which includes activating the Automatic Update setting in Windows to ensure that they receive the update as soon as it is available."

Microsoft has announced that it will have a patch for the vulnerability by 1800 GMT on 17 December, available via Windows Update.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailytech.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bloatware; computers; internetexplorer; malware; microsoft
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To: Lakeshark

doesn’t scroogle also have an add-on for firefox?


21 posted on 12/17/2008 10:39:26 AM PST by woollyone ("When the tide is low, even a shrimp has its own puddle." - Vance Havner)
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To: Sub-Driver

What bullshit. I don’t believe for a minute that this flaw could allow some crook to t ake o v er anyon*^&%$ *&^$ *&% pute@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


22 posted on 12/17/2008 10:40:49 AM PST by pabianice
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To: Lakeshark
I stopped using firefox/Mozilla because they use Google, and reverted to IE with an Ask search engine.

You don't have to use Google. You can change your default to any search engine you want. Including "Ask". And you can remove Google too. And for those with a Death Wish there's - AOl search.

I only use IE when I have too - a non Firefox website, like MS & Windows websites.

23 posted on 12/17/2008 11:22:00 AM PST by Condor51 (The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits)
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To: woollyone
doesn’t scroogle also have an add-on for firefox?
No, just checked the add-ons.
I have Scroogle on my Links Bar. but if you go to the Scroogle home page it says its not tested with Firefox - works okay for me though.
24 posted on 12/17/2008 11:31:04 AM PST by Condor51 (The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits)
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To: Sub-Driver; rdb3; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; GodGunsandGuts; CyberCowboy777; Salo; Bobsat; JosephW; ...

25 posted on 12/17/2008 11:48:12 AM PST by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: dfwgator
I'm kinda pissed that the latest flash plugin consistently crashes FireFox on several different computers. Adobe's QA sucks.
26 posted on 12/17/2008 12:25:10 PM PST by zeugma (Will it be nukes or aliens? Time will tell.)
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To: Condor51
Running scroogle with the Groowe search toolbar. i completely removed the google search bar and the window. This way i have a search window only when i need one. (The Groowe bar can be hidden with the click of an icon).
27 posted on 12/17/2008 1:29:23 PM PST by Calvinist_Dark_Lord ((I have come here to kick @$$ and chew bubblegum...and I'm all outta bubblegum! ~Roddy Piper))
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To: Sub-Driver

Firefox crashes on me all the time.


28 posted on 12/17/2008 2:18:37 PM PST by ichabod1 (Reagan wouldÂ’ve fired them.)
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To: ichabod1
Firefox crashes on me all the time.

Are you using the latest version? What computer are you using anyway? Commodore 64?

29 posted on 12/17/2008 2:30:09 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Using a frackin Dell Precision 690 workstation, dude. I tried switching to Firefox last summer. Worked ok, but it DID crash on me frequently, and I finally said the heck with it and went back to IE.


30 posted on 12/17/2008 2:38:28 PM PST by ichabod1 (Reagan wouldÂ’ve fired them.)
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To: ichabod1

No doubt the fault of Windows, not Firefox...


31 posted on 12/17/2008 2:39:54 PM PST by joseph20 (...to ourselves and our Posterity...)
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To: pabianice

We just looked at a guy’s computer, noticed the mouse was behaving strangely, lagging, and then noticed the processor indicates it is at 40% when he’s doing nothing, but the process list shows 99% idle. Weird.


32 posted on 12/17/2008 2:40:46 PM PST by ichabod1 (Reagan wouldÂ’ve fired them.)
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To: ichabod1

I’m on a Dell Optiplex GX520 and Firefox 3.0.4 works like a charm. I will NEVER go back to IE, no matter how frickin’ good they try to make it.


33 posted on 12/17/2008 2:44:03 PM PST by CholeraJoe ("Hey you, hey you! This won't hurt a bit!")
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To: joseph20

I spose. I know I’m starved for memory even though I just upped the memory to 4GB. I think it really needs 8 to support all the hardware, but I can’t go past 4 with a 32 bit OS.


34 posted on 12/17/2008 2:44:21 PM PST by ichabod1 (Reagan wouldÂ’ve fired them.)
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To: CholeraJoe

Yeah, I don’t know wht it is... whether I’m going to a lot of non-firefox compatible sites, or some kind of weird software loadset i have, which I really don’t. I had a profile problem that was causing Word to crap out... deleted my profile to get past that. Maybe Firefox would work better now. Oh, and I’m running 32-bit Vista, which ca’t be helping anything.


35 posted on 12/17/2008 2:46:32 PM PST by ichabod1 (Reagan wouldÂ’ve fired them.)
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To: ichabod1

4 GBytes should be plenty...really.

There is some other problem causing the Firefox crash. I doubt it is the fault of Firefox though.

For example, I guarantee that if you boot a linux live cd on your computer and run firefox, it will perform flawlessly.


36 posted on 12/17/2008 2:47:28 PM PST by joseph20 (...to ourselves and our Posterity...)
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To: ichabod1

Could be. I’m running XP 2002 SP 2. I’ve only encountered a few FF-incompatible sites, most notably Turbo Tax. I have to use IE to get my tax returns to print and file electronically.

All of my MS office apps run without a hitch. It’s my work computer and only the Director of IT and I use Firefox. He didn’t start until one day he was rooting around on my box and saw that I was using it. He tried it and loved it.


37 posted on 12/17/2008 2:55:59 PM PST by CholeraJoe ("Hey you, hey you! This won't hurt a bit!")
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To: CholeraJoe

I just went to the TurboTax site, works just fine for me, and I’m not using IE.


38 posted on 12/17/2008 3:01:14 PM PST by joseph20 (...to ourselves and our Posterity...)
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To: joseph20

The site works fine for creating new returns but when you try to file electronically or print your return it freezes.


39 posted on 12/17/2008 3:07:37 PM PST by CholeraJoe ("Hey you, hey you! This won't hurt a bit!")
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