The German government agency supervising IT-safety is cautioning
Internet Explorer users against using the browser until Microsoft fixes a
breach in security.
The browser’s “weak point is already being used for targeted
attacks,” the Federal Office for Information Security said in a
statement late Sept. 17. The code behind the attack is freely accessible
online and, therefore, could spread swiftly, the agency added.
In its warning, the IT watchdog suggested people using Windows XP or
Windows 7 operating systems and Internet Explorer versions 7, 8 or 9
switch to different browsers until Microsoft updates the browser’s
security features.
The breach allows attackers to lure users to an infected website.
Once the website has been visited, the hackers can then introduce codes
to take control of the user’s computer, the agency said.
A spokesman for Microsoft Corp. said Sept. 18 the company is aware of
the issue and is at hard at work to create a software update, a
so-called patch, to fix the browser’s security features.
Internet Explorer is used by hundreds of millions of consumers and workers around the world.
Post from: SiteProNews
