Microsoft Fixing Serious Browser Download Hole

Automated PC Solutions

VACM - Virus Alerts for the Common Man



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Microsoft Fixing Serious Browser Download Hole

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Greetings from The VACM Team,

In this issue:
------------------------------------
- Newly discovered flaw in Internet Explorer (IE) puts you
at SERIOUS RISK from malicious web sites
AND emails...

***************************************************
* The Bottom Line
***************************************************
Microsoft is working on a fix for Internet Explorer (IE) to
not allow an attacker to silently download and execute
malicious programs on the computers of users who view a
specially constructed Web page or e-mail message.

This vulnerability is VERY serious because it does not rely
on JavaScript or other scripting programs, just ordinary
Web page code (HTML). The "How To" articles we have
provided for disabling Java and ActiveX will not guard
against this newly discovered vulnerability!

***************************************************
* What Could It Do To Your System?
***************************************************
IE is supposed to warn you when you attempt to download
and open an executable file. But because of the bug in IE,
a malicious Web site could easily and unnoticeably

spread virii
install DDoS zombies or backdoors
format your hard drive
and so on...

The bug lies in IE's processing of Internet addresses
and "header" information that tells the browser what type
of file it is handling.

A Microsoft spokesperson said the company does not currently
have any information to share on the issue and declined to
discuss the status of the browser patch. This leads us to
believe that the bug is very serious and not at all hard
to exploit.

***************************************************
* What You Should Do...
***************************************************
1. Every time you start your computer and go online, the first
thing you should be doing is getting the latest updates for
your antivirus software.

2. The fix for IE is currently in testing and could be released
soon.

Stay tuned to your VACM Alerts. We will notify you
when the fix becomes available and provide the web addresses
for downloading the fix and instructions for updating your
version of IE.

3. WARNING: even if you use Netscape or some other
browser other than IE, you still need to be concerned
about this issue, since it will also work in emails.

Best Regards,
Marc Deschenes, VACM Editor
The VACM Project at
Automated PC Solutions

*** Be sure to check out the appendix at the end of this alert
if you are having trouble booting your computer into "Safe Mode".
The process is all spelled out for you there.

Why should you be very
concerned about Spyware?

Learn how to avoid Identity Theft and Windows corruption in this
free VACM Video:
VACM-tested #1 AntiSpyware Software

How did they steal my Identity?

Why do I get so much SPAM ?

Why is your computer
running so slow ?

Today, every PC needs just a few protection softwares. Find out what and why. Visit our Links Page to avoid Indentiry Theft and costly computer repairs.
VACM Links to Protection Tools and Softwares

Keep your PC Safe and
Avoid a costly trip to the shop...
with these VACM approved tools.

You need 3 things to protect your PC(s) automatically. Use these links to go directly to the Download and Purchase pages:

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******** APPENDIX - Handy How-To Tips **********

* How To Boot into Safe Mode

Shut the computer down so that the power is off.

Turn the computer on, wait 1 second and begin pressing the F8 key
on the keyboard, once every second repeatedly. Do this until
the Windows Startup Menu appears. If you get a keyboard
error, press F1 to resume and then continue pressing the
F8 key once every second, or your PC may tell you to press another key for BIOS setup.

Select Safe Mode from the Windows Startup Menu, then press
the Enter key on the keyboard.

Windows will then boot into Safe Mode.
NOTE: This may take longer than a normal boot.

At the end of the boot process a dialog box will appear
informing you that Windows is in Safe Mode. Click OK on this dialog box.

Windows is now in Safe Mode.

If you miss hitting the F8 at the right time, Windows will boot
normally and you will not see the "Safe Mode" message. In this
case, start from the top of these instructions until you get the
boot menu screen where you can choose "Safe Mode". This can be
a little tricky the first time you do it.

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