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Microsoft races to deter hackers

Neowin · Jun 13, 2004 19:31 EDT with -1 comments

With the announcement of four bugs in IE, Microsoft is wasting no time in finding a solution.

Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, is racing to solve a flaw in its internet browser that may allow hackers access to computer systems.

According to a spokesman quoted by the Business newspaper, "Microsoft is investigating reports of malicious attack exploiting vulnerabilities". Problems arise when a user unknowingly clicks on a so-called malicious link, triggering a download of software. Hackers then have full access to data and files on the computer.

Sneaky

The danger lies in the fact that the links can be disguised to look like bona fide URLs and the software is installed without raising any alarms. The US's Computer Emergency Readiness Team has already issued a warning about the problem. Microsoft's Windows software runs on about 90% of the world's computer.

News source: BBC News