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Microsoft issues security patches for Flash vulnerabilities in Windows 8 and Internet Explorer
As promised, Microsoft is issuing a security patch for a Flash vulnerability on Windows 8 in Internet Explorer 10. Though the operating system has yet to see its official public release, researchers testing the RTM version found a bug that could cause Flash to crash and allow for attackers to take control of a user's machine. Additionally, the company is rolling out an update to address a security hole in Internet Explorer versions 7 and 8 on Windows XP -- and IE 9 on Windows 7 and Windows Vista -- which left the door open for hackers to spread malware via a specially designed Flash animation. Both security patches are available via Microsoft's Windows Update service.
Microsoft tells IE faithful on Windows XP to avoid F1 key
Still hanging around on Windows XP? Perfectly acceptable. Still using Internet Explorer to browse the world wide web? Just a wee bit less forgivable, but we understand that some of you simply can't get around it. If we just rung your bell, you might want to rip the F1 key right off of your keyboard (at least temporarily), as a recently discovered vulnerability in VBScript -- which can only bother Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 -- could allow malicious code to weasel its way right into your life with a single keystroke. As the story goes, some ill-willed web sites are encouraging users to smash the F1 key in order to access a Microsoft Help file, and when said key is depressed, "arbitrary code could be executed in the security context of the currently logged-on user." Microsoft has promised to fully investigate and resolve the issue in due time, but 'til then, we'd highly suggest avoiding your F1 key like the plague switching to Firefox.
Safari 'carpet bombing' attack code in the wild
The Safari "carpet bombing" blended-threat vulnerability discovered in May could be more dangerous for Windows users with exploit code available online. Mac users are not affected by the threat. The exploit takes advantage of the fact that the Desktop is Safari's default download location. Pair that with a flaw in Internet Explorer that allows files of a particular name to be automatically run, and you have a situation where Safari downloads a file and IE runs it. InfoWorld notes that the source code and demo were posted on Sunday. Apple, so far, has not commented on the InfoWorld story, and has no plans to alter Safari. Since downloading to the Desktop is Safari's only involvement in the threat, there doesn't appear to be any problem to correct. Microsoft's problem, on the other hand, has to do with automatically running files that just happened to be named something IE cares about, which Microsoft has known about since 2006. Microsoft has not commented on the story either, but their suggestion is still to avoid using Safari for Windows.
Good question: why doesn't the Xbox 360 have its own browser?
Sony and Nintendo have promised that gamers who purchase the PlayStation 3 and Wii will be able to browse the web from the comfort of their couches. Sony will accomplish this through their own custom web browser while Nintendo has partnered with Opera Software to install a trial version of the Opera browser on the Wii. This led a friend of mine to ask me the following question: "Why doesn't the Xbox 360 have its own browser?" Good question, Vikas! We don't want a complicated solution that requires an operating system (though, at any given time, we've got all kinds of computers on around the house). We just want to turn on the dang console and be able to browse Youtube every once in a while, maybe between sips of mind-slurrying substances. It'd be neat. Now where is it?
IE 7 adopts Firefox RSS logo
Internet Explorer 7 will offer support for subscribing to RSS feeds, much like Safari and Firefox. This has been known for a long while, however, what icon Microsoft would choose to represent the fact that a page has a feed has been up in the air. Wonder no more. Microsoft has decided to use the icon that Firefox uses which doesn't look anything like the icon that Safari uses. Makes me wonder if we will see Apple adopt the little orange icon which seems to be fast becoming a standard.
