Microsoft is racing to address a weakness in its popular Web browser that security experts at FireEye revealed over the weekend. The researchers discovered that hackers have exploited the bug and created a new type of attack.
If you're using Internet Explorer and click on the wrong link, a hacker could hijack your computer.
Microsoft is racing to address a weakness in its popular Web browser that security experts at FireEye revealed over the weekend. The researchers discovered that hackers have exploited the bug and created a new type of attack.
This is how it works: Hackers set up a website that installs malware when you visit it. If you're duped into visiting the website while using the Internet Explorer program, malware seeps into your computer and gives a stranger total control. You might not even notice.
"I'd say someone taking control of your computer is just the beginning of the worst case scenario," said Adrian Sanabria, a security expert with 451research.com. "Because then they steal your info, get access to your email, etc."
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That's where the real danger lies. Anyone in control of your computer can spy on everything you do. If it's a PC at work, hackers can reach into anything an employee has access to.
It's worse for those using Windows XP, because Microsoft no longer supports that operating system with security patches. To them, Microsoft says: Go upgrade to Windows 7 or 8.1.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends that people ditch Internet Explorer until there's a patch -- or install special software in the meantime instead.
But this bug is more omnipresent than it seems. Lots of machines use Windows -- bank ATMs, point of sale systems, restaurant seating tools -- and Internet Explorer is their default browser. If hackers manage to send them to a bad website, that machine is now under their control. It won't be easy, but it's possible.
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