US Homeland Security: Stop using Internet Explorer for now

[Merrimack]

U.S. Tells Users To Stop Using Internet Explorer For Now
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/04/28/307763583/u-s-tells-users-to-stop-using-internet-explorer-for-now


by Eyder Peralta


April 28, 2014



The Department of Homeland Security is warning Americans to stop using the Web browser Internet Explorer because it has a bug that could allow hackers to install malicious software without the user knowing it.
The vulnerability, the United States Emergency Readiness team says, has already been exploited in the wild. Essentially, all a user has to do to become a victim is view a "specially crafted HTML document," which means a Web page or even a rich email or attachment.
"We are currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem," CERT said.
USA Today reports that users can avoid the bug by using another browser for now, or by disabling Adobe Flash.
The paper adds:

"Microsoft confirmed Saturday that it is working to fix the code that allows Internet Explorer versions six through 11 to be exploited by the vulnerability. As of Monday morning, no fix had been posted.
"About 55% of PC computers run one of those versions of Internet Explorer, according to the technology research firm NetMarketShare.
"The bug works by using Adobe Flash to attack a computer's memory."

Krebs on Security, a blog that specializes in these types of stories, reports another way around the bug is to run Internet Explorer in "Enhanced Protected Mode" and "64-bit process mode, which is available for IE10 and IE11 in the Internet Options settings as shown in this graphic.



Vulnerability Note VU#222929 - Microsoft Internet Explorer use-after-free vulnerability

Microsoft Warns of Attacks on IE Zero-Day — Krebs on Security

Homeland Security: Don't use IE due to bug

[pseudolus]

Web browser Internet Explorer because it has a bug that could allow hackers to install malicious software without the user knowing it.

More likely that they have not yet been given the backdoor pass for it, so want surfers to use browsers they have full access to for a while until billionaire bill comes up with the goods again.

[Merrimack]

With half the world using pirated windows XP or other versions and Internet explorer, someon is going to exploit this sooner or later. Thais are still on xp in most cases but using Chrome from what I see. Here on TD a lot of people like Firefox. I wonder why we never hear of threats to Firefox or Chrome? There has to be a lot of people using them worldwide these days. I guess Internet Explore must be weaker for some reason.

[Albert Shagnastier]

Surely they're taking the piss

[Thormaturge]

I guess Internet Explore must be weaker for some reason.

More probably hackers target IE simply because more people use it than any other browser.

I'm a Chrome man Myself,



Nice bit of Chrome there...

although some sites work better with IE, but not many.

[Butterfly]

IE market share is much less than FF and Chrome combined,

[Merrimack]

BBC News - Microsoft includes XP users in Internet Explorer fix

Microsoft has said users of its Windows XP operating system will also get the security update it has issued to fix a flaw in the Internet Explorer browser.

It issued the update on Thursday to fix a bug that which let hackers gain access and user rights to computers.

Microsoft ended support for Windows XP earlier this month, ceasing to issue bug fixes or security updates for it.

But the firm said it decided to make an exception as the flaw was discovered just days after the support ended.

"Even though Windows XP is no longer supported by Microsoft and is past the time we normally provide security updates, we've decided to provide an update for all versions of Windows XP," Adrienne Hall, general manager of Trustworthy Computing at Microsoft, said in a blog post.

"We made this exception based on the proximity to the end of support for Windows XP."

The flaw was reported earlier this week and there had been uncertainty over weather XP users would get the update when it was released.

[baldrick]

if they are using internet explorer as their browser then it is too late already

or even a rich email

that'll be one where the text will make you rich ?

Good day
Private Message to you,

This is an important message to you.The lord directs me to share this with you. As you read the mail, you should sympathize with my current situation and assist me. My name is Isabella Carmel the only survivor from family of four. I was narrowly escaped from the tsunami disaster which affected my spinal cord and also my ear drum and claim the lifes of my entire family, husband (Denis caromel) and two sons (Ugo and Tom) who went for holidays in Sri-Lanka.

Right now I am currently in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. After staying a week in my family hospital, I was disabled by the catastrophe and now on a wheel cheer after all the treatment.This has defiled all forms of medicine and right now I have only about a few months to live