Microsoft Explorer gets emergency patch

Microsoft on Monday released an emergency patch for its Internet Explorer browser to address a security hole that hackers can use to hijack computers.

 

Users of computers running Microsoft's Windows XP and below were advised to install the patch immediately, tech site The Next Web reported.

 

"The majority of customers have automatic updates enabled and will not need to take any action because protections will be downloaded and installed automatically. For those manually updating, we strongly encourage you to apply this update as quickly as possible," it quoted Microsoft as saying.

 

But The Next Web noted Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 users need not bother with this patch.

 

It said IE9, which can run on Vista and Windows 7, and IE10 which can run on Windows 8, are not affected by the flaw.

 

"While the impact has been limited, for increased protection customers should apply the update as soon as possible if they do not have automatic updates enabled," it quoted Dustin Childs, group manager of Microsoft Trustworthy Computing, as saying.

 

The IE zero-day flaw was first exposed in December when security firm FireEye detailed that the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) had been hacked, and was hosting malicious content as early as December 21.

 

Microsoft responded by issuing a security advisory on December 29 and then issued a temporary one-click “Fix it” tool. — TJD, GMA News