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Another Serious MSIE Hole

Posted by timothy on from the why-my-dad-gets-no-tech-support dept.

pjrc writes "Infoworld is reporting another new security hole that allows links to executable files to appear to be any other type of file, such as text or pdf. When combined with a previously reported spoofing bug, that Microsoft still hasn't fixed, Infoworld claims the result could be 'devastating'"

6 of 731 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmmm... by instantkarma1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Wasn't good ol' Bill just extolling the virtues of Windows Security in comparison to other 'unnamed' operating systems the other day?

    Would you like some more pie, Bill?

  2. I don't think MS cares anymore by Ignorant+Aardvark · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I really don't think Microsoft cares any more. They certainly don't care about the security of their customers. I supposed their objective with IE was to dominate the market by packaging it with Windows, and once that was completed, they simply stopped caring about IE. They haven't updated it in over two years, and its competitors have added all sorts of useful features in the meantime. And now that these bugs have been exposed and nothing is being done about it, it's time for people to move on to using other browsers - permanently. If people aren't convinced by the merits of other browsers, maybe they'll be convinced when their "tried and true IE" allows them to be scammed/defrauded.

    --
    Cyde Weys Musings - Scrutinizing the inscrutable
  3. Not that simple by blorg · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I use Opera myself and absolutely detest IE, but that doesn't help with the fact that IE is embedded in both the OS and very many other products - Outlook is an obvious example, but there are countless others, such as Winamp's minibrowser. It's very easy for developers to embed IE (e.g. the MSHTML control) in a product.

    Mozdev has some tips about completely disabling IE, even in other applications.

  4. Re:The Demo by RoLi · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The question is rather: "Why do Microsoft-sponsored TCO-studies never include the cost of viruses, worms, security holes and/or countermeasures against viruses, worms and security holes?"

  5. Re:If I had a dollar by planetmn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why is it that a lot of people here don't know how to do a nice thing for somebody.

    If my in-laws computer needs some work, next time I am over there, I'll take a look at it, or try to help over the phone, it takes all of what, maybe 20 minutes.

    My uncle owns a small business, if I can save him some money by making recommendations for him or giving him some free tech-support, great.

    If you're nice to somebody, they are going to be nice to you, believe me, in the end, it's a wash.

    Plus, life is too short to be an asshole all of the time.

    -dave

    --
    /., where "Apple and Google provide Iran with nukes" will be refuted with "But Microsoft is a convicted monopolist"
  6. Re:If I had a dollar by Phenris+Wolfe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You don't get used as free tech support by a lot of people, do you? I for one know that certain members of my family, and certain "friends" of mine will probably be calling me for the first time since the blaster worm thanks to MyDoom or whatever it is. They don't have time for me except when their computer goes to hell. Surely I'm not the only one here....