Code attacks Windows vulnerability

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What the fuss is all about....

1) Some 28% of Internet users are still not using IE6. These tend to be the least technically-experienced users.

2) Since the code is part of IE 5; it may very well be rolled into the IE implementations of other OS.

3) Some people have had extreme difficulties running IE6 on their older machines. For them upgrade will be impossible and they may not be able to afford a new machine capable of running XP/IE6. For example, My one remaining Windows machine hiccough horribly at IE6, but fortunately that machine is off the net so I needn't be concerned. Your configuration probably varies from some others in the world; your clickage may not be commensurate. Just because IE6 works on your machine don't assume you are a representative case of a non-technical user.

4) Updating IE is probably not enough. There will be more bugs to come, have no doubt. If you've money to upgrade your entire OS and reinstall everything, and don't need a new machine to run the latest and greatest; perhaps you're safe. Anything less will be at best problematic - especially if your version of the OS has reached EOL.

5) Most frightening of all: this exploit does not require any action on the part of the user since the code can be hidden in a BMP image. By extension, the exploit can be embedded in an e-mail, a web page, or, perhaps, even in an icon set, and indeed anywhere a bitmap image is used - say in the resource fork of a program?

Posted by: John Le'Brecage   Posted on: 02/17/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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