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Hello everyone,
If you are currently using Windows and Internet Explorer, it is strongly
recommended that you switch to a different web browser as soon as possible. (At least until Microsoft corrects an existing security problem with Internet Explorer that has recently been exploited to infect IE users.)There are several alternative browsers available: Mozilla (combination email and web browser), Mozilla Firefox (browser only), and Opera, to name a few.
If you are using a Linux or MacOS based system, you will be unaffected by this latest security vulnerability, although Mozilla and Opera browsers are available for your operating systems, as well as other browsers.
The Windows version of Internet Explorer currently contains several un-patched security vulnerabilities that expose your system to attack, simply by viewing websites. The first known attack using this security hole in Internet Explorer has been released into the wild and was infecting many websites (including Kelly Blue Book). This particular attack has been largely eliminated, and most anti-virus programs will now stop the attack. However, new sites are popping up that use a similar exploit,
therefore I still urge our members to take action by changing to a safer web browser and scanning your systems for this virus with the latest updates from your anti-virus vendor.The next attack is likely to be much worse and your anti-virus program and firewall may not protect you. I want to re-iterate that this attack requires you to simply visit a page in Internet Explorer that contains the exploit code.
Unscrupulous websites can take advantage of this flaw at anytime, and penetrate your systems when you view their web pages. Several other flaws make it possible for someone to fake an address location and take you to a different website from what is shown in the link. In combination, these exploits can pose severe problems to the security of your computers.
Even the US CERT (the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team), is advising people to consider using a different browser until this problem has been fixed by Microsoft:
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/713878
Be careful out there.
You can download Mozilla Firefox (browser only) here:
http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/Mozilla (web/email suite) is located here:
http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/Opera web browser is located here:
http://www.opera.com/WARNING: These browsers, while unaffected by this major security issue, will also need to be kept updated with any patches in order to stay secure. Firefox is a slimmed down version of Mozilla, but it is still in beta, so use at your own risk. I have had very good experiences with Firefox, but it may not work with some websites that use IE-specific code.
I hope this helps keep your computers a bit safer.
[This message has been edited by Cathunter (edited 06-28-2004).]
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