By Robert McMillan, IDG News Service - Sun Nov 22, 2009 3:30AM EST
A hacker has posted attack code that could be used to break into a PC running older versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.
The code was posted Friday to the Bugtraq mailing list by an unidentified hacker. According to security vendor Symantec, the code does not always work properly, but it could be used to install unauthorized software on a victim's computer.
"Symantec has conducted further tests and confirmed that it affects Internet Explorer versions 6 and 7," the company wrote on its Web site Saturday. "We expect that a fully-functional reliable exploit will be available in the near future."
Security consultancy Vupen Security has also confirmed that the attack works, saying it worked on a Windows XP Service Pack 3 system running IE 6 or IE7. Neither company was able to confirm that the attack worked on Microsoft's latest browser, IE 8.
Symantec did not report that the attack is being used by cyber-criminals, but because Internet Explorer is so popular, this type of code is highly coveted by hackers. If the software does pop up in online attacks, it will put pressure on Microsoft to rush out an emergency patch, ahead of its regularly scheduled Dec. 8 security update. Microsoft could not be reached Saturday for a comment on the issue.
Together, IE 6 and IE 7 command close to 40 percent of the browser market.
The flaw lies in the way Internet Explorer retrieves certain Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) objects, used to create a standardized layout on Web pages. For the attack to work, the hacker would have to lure a victim to a Web page that contained maliciously encoded JavaScript, Symantec said. This technique has emerged as a favorite way for hackers to install their malicious software on computers in recent years.
"To minimize the chances of being affected by this issue, Internet Explorer users should ensure their antivirus definitions are up to date, disable JavaScript and only visit Web sites they trust until fixes are available from Microsoft," Symantec said.
Showing posts with label Microsoft news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Microsoft news. Show all posts
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Microsoft gives the MSN butterfly a makeover
Aiming to stay relevant, Microsoft on Monday is introducing a new look for its MSN.com home page.
Although MSN gets far less attention than the company's Bing or Windows Live efforts, the home page remains an important economic engine for Microsoft's online business, as well as a significant source of search traffic for Bing.
"We believe it's an important asset for Microsoft," said MSN general manager Bob Visse.
The site is still the top portal in about 25 of the 46 markets, with about 600 million unique users globally and 100 million in the U.S, where it trails Yahoo in popularity.
The redesign, which has been in the works for months, bears quite a bit of resemblance to the one that Microsoft had been testing in France.
With its new look, the home page has about half as many links as the previous incarnation, focusing instead on a few categories, such as video, news, shopping, and search.
The old site had dozens of text links at the top and bottom of the page for everything from horoscopes to white pages to a free trial of MSN's dial-up Internet service.
Read More of the Story>>
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see this is a very cluttered and busy site," Visse said of the existing page.
Although MSN gets far less attention than the company's Bing or Windows Live efforts, the home page remains an important economic engine for Microsoft's online business, as well as a significant source of search traffic for Bing.
Along with redesigning the MSN home page, Microsoft also gave the site's butterfly logo a new look.
"We believe it's an important asset for Microsoft," said MSN general manager Bob Visse.
The site is still the top portal in about 25 of the 46 markets, with about 600 million unique users globally and 100 million in the U.S, where it trails Yahoo in popularity.
The redesign, which has been in the works for months, bears quite a bit of resemblance to the one that Microsoft had been testing in France.
With its new look, the home page has about half as many links as the previous incarnation, focusing instead on a few categories, such as video, news, shopping, and search.
The old site had dozens of text links at the top and bottom of the page for everything from horoscopes to white pages to a free trial of MSN's dial-up Internet service.
Read More of the Story>>
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see this is a very cluttered and busy site," Visse said of the existing page.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Microsoft Cuts the Crud on New PCs
Whenever anybody asks me for my take on Windows 7, I share my largely positive reaction, but am careful to insert a note of necessary gloom: If PC manufacturers lard up Windows 7 machines with adware, demoware, and various other forms of unwantedware, they're going to ruin a good thing.
Turns out Microsoft apparently has the same concern. Over at TechFlash, Todd Bishop is reporting that the company is not only selling PCs at its retail stores and online but has customized them to be free of junkware (and to include a bunch of Microsoft apps and services, including the ones it removed from Windows 7.) Here, for instance, is an HP Pavilion that sells for the same price it does at HP's own site (OK, for a penny more). Read rest of story here >>
Turns out Microsoft apparently has the same concern. Over at TechFlash, Todd Bishop is reporting that the company is not only selling PCs at its retail stores and online but has customized them to be free of junkware (and to include a bunch of Microsoft apps and services, including the ones it removed from Windows 7.) Here, for instance, is an HP Pavilion that sells for the same price it does at HP's own site (OK, for a penny more). Read rest of story here >>
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)