Fighting malware and spam

Microsoft patches IE hole

VML fix released only a week after flaw exploited.

Microsoft has released a patch for the widely publicised and much exploited security hole in its Internet Explorer browser, a little over a week after the flaw was brought to its attention by security researchers, the press and Windows users.

The VML vulnerability has been causing widespread worry, with numerous sites carrying malicious code designed to exploit the hole to drop malware onto users' computers, and security admins trying to keep up with the rash of dangers presented. An unofficial patch was released by security taskforce ZERT at the end of last week, and now Microsoft has broken its traditional monthly 'Patch Tuesday' patching cycle to bring out an emergency fix.

'This is good news for Windows users everywhere,' said John Hawes, Technical Consultant at Virus Bulletin. 'Microsoft's record on fixing bugs has taken a lot of flak, and it seems they have realised a monthly release isn't good enough when faced with fast-acting dangers like this one. Perhaps the unofficial patch released a few days after the vulnerability was unveiled helped spur them into action.'

Several other patches, including one for Publisher flagged as 'critical', were issued along with the IE fix. The updates should be available from the Windows Update site, here (note: may not work if you are not using Internet Explorer). Information on the patches issued is in the Microsoft Security Bulletin, here.

27 September 2006

Tags: virus