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IE Vulnerable to Cross-Browser Spyware Attack

Posted by timothy on from the if-you-must-run-windows-remove-ie dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Register reports that Firefox can be used to infect IE on Windows. By visiting a malicious site with Firefox, a user can infect their install of Internet Explorer. Other alternative browers may expose the same vulnerability. The article quotes the CTO of ScanSafe as saying that '[j]ust switching away from IE does not give adequate projection. Now that Firefox and other alternative browsers have a toehold in the market the hacking community will get busy exploiting the vulnerabilities that exist in any complex browser.'" VitalSecurity's report points out that this vulnerability can (only) affect Windows users who use Sun's Java Runtime Environment.

2 of 619 comments (clear)

  1. Re:who fixes it? by LnxAddct · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    There is no problem to fix. Its a java applet that tries to install something rather then an activex thing. If anything its Sun's fault, but in reality its noones fault because you are given a very clear security warning and you still must click yes. The media is trying to turn this into something against firefox, when really its just that any browser capable of supporting common plugins is "vulnerable". Teach users to stop clicking yes! I'm really starting to think that the only way for people to start reading these things is to have a little "test" where you are presented with 4 sentences, all somehwat similar, and you must select the one that is in the text that you were supposed to read.
    Regards,
    Steve

  2. GREAT! by metalmaniac1759 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    If it wasn't enough getting screwed due to its own vulnerabiliites IE can now get screwed due to other software's vulnerabilities as well!

    Fucking great! IE's a screw magnet!

    Nandz.