Microsoft has warned users of an Internet Explorer bug that could let hackers into your computer and access personal data.
The bug affects Internet Explorer versions from 6 to 11 and Microsoft is already aware of “limited, targeted attacks” as a result of the vulnerabilities in the browser.
Microsoft has yet to deliver a patch for the issue, which could affect millions of users, especially as the latest NetMarket Share report suggests Internet Explorer accounts for roughly 58 per cent of the global browser market.
“The vulnerability is a remote code execution vulnerability. The vulnerability exists in the way that Internet Explorer accesses an object in memory that has been deleted or has not been properly allocated,” explained the Microsoft blog post. “The vulnerability may corrupt memory in a way that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user within Internet Explorer.”
If you’re a Windows XP user, this news should be particularly troublesome for you, as Microsoft officially stopped supporting the OS earlier this month, meaning you will not get a security patch for the latest vulnerability.
“An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.”
Although Microsoft has offered some workarounds for the Internet Explorer bug on the official Security TechCentre site, but we advise using an alternative browser until the vulnerability is patched.
Microsoft says it will “take the appropriate action to protect our customers, which may include providing a solution through our monthly security update release process, or an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs.”
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
