CNet: Microsoft warns of critical IE flaws

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105_2-5066511.html

Microsoft warns of critical IE flaws

CNET News.com

Microsoft alerted PC users to three critical security flaws in Internet Explorer and Windows on Wednesday, as
the MSBlast worm and its variants used a previous vulnerability in Windows to spread across the Net for a
second week.

The software giant released a cumulative patch for Internet Explorer that fixes several vulnerabilities previously
disclosed by the company, and it re-released an advisory for Microsoft's SQL Server software, warning that a flaw in
that program actually affects most Windows users.

Users who don't patch their systems could leave the computers open to attack through a fake Web page or an HTML
e-mail that contains the specific exploit code, said Stephen Toulouse, security program manager for Microsoft's
security response center.

"The Internet Explorer bulletin is rated as 'critical' across all platforms except Windows 2003," Toulouse said. A critical
rating is the highest grade that Microsoft assigns to its alerts. The flaws were rated 'moderate'--the second-lowest
grade--for Windows 2003, the latest version of the operating system.

On Wednesday, security-software maker Symantec said that MSBlast, a worm that takes advantage of a month-old
vulnerability in Microsoft's OS, had infected almost 700,000 computers. A variant of the worm, MSBlast.D or Nachi,
had infected more than 525,000 computers since it began to spread on Monday

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masks itself as an operating system. Linux/Unix or Apple's OS is the way to go, baby.

I use Avant Browser.....should I download the patch or what?

Unless you have zero IE components as part of your OS (which is not likely), you should download the patch if using Windows OS. Windows and IE share some DLLs (dynamic link libraries).

BTW, the default browser for downloading from Microshaft is IE.

There is no virus taking advantage of this exploit, for now.

If you read this and you don't update now, you will get a virus. It is only a matter of time.

if you don't add the patch...but do it anyway. I patched this morning. I only use Windows OS for games.