Microsoft have been around the computer industry for almost as long as it has existed, and it would be highly unfair to say that without their contribution , the communications industry and the World itself would not be in the state that it is today. Nobody and no company are perfect, and Microsoft has had their share of problems over the years with their software. The various versions of the Office suite have always been famous for its glitches which they always seem to clear up with the next version, only to see some new ones appear.

Having problems with products that are mostly meant for online use is one thing, but when you continue to have problems with the software that you develop for online use, then the problem becomes much more pressing.

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has always had some major question marks hanging over it, since it first appeared in 1995. These question marks have grown larger over the years and have become increasingly troublesome as the security issues among web browsers has come more and more to the forefront. 

In comparison to the other browsers available on the market, IE has been shown to be especially vulnerable to viruses with the recent major cyber attacks emanating from the Far East really demonstrating its weaknesses.

Major companies and institutions had their computers invaded and not by the most sophisticated of Trojan horses through a major flaw in the IE security system, the flaw was soon patched but by then all the damage had been done. This recent security incident again set of an outcry, and once again a lot of people said goodbye to IE to shift their allegiances to another of the browsers available.

With these kinds of incidents occurring on a regular basis it is easy to see why IE everybody’s cup of tea isn’t, but what people tend to forget is that it also takes around 80% of the World market. That way it stands to reason that it will also be affected by a lot more viruses.

No matter which browser you have on your computer, you have to have virus protection software installed. Hackers are working around the clock looking for the slightest opportunity to introduce a virus into your computer, and the only option you have is to keep the door securely locked.     

As companies as large as Adobe or Google can come under attack and have their computers infiltrated by a virus then you certainly can. 

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Tags: Anti Virus, Browser, Digital Download Products, IE, Internet Explorer, Mcafee, Microsoft, Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Trojan, Trojan Horses, Virus

With Microsoft hot from releasing an emergency patch on Thursday 19^th January designed to repair a zero-day vulnerability that caused Google and more than 30 other companies to be hacked in the so-called Aurora attacks, an older problem has reared its ugly head which looks like it will represent further woe for Internet Explorer (IE).

Information has reached Microsoft that versions of Internet Explorer could inadvertently allow hacker entry to a computer’s hard disc and allow them to access files on the computer. Apparently Microsoft was made aware of the problem as long ago as 2008 and despite two attempts by Microsoft to fix it two years ago, the problem seems unwilling to go away.  The virus is not so sophisticated and doesn’t allow the hacker to install other codes on a person’s computer. Despite that fact, the presence of this glitch has to be regarded as a serious breach of security, affecting all of Microsoft’s operating systems, including their latest IE8.

The hacker operates by duping a victim into clicking on a heavily disguised malicious Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The URL is created by manipulating four or five features in Internet Explorer; if the hacker succeeds in drawing a computer owner or user into his web, the browser will process files that are not pure HTML on the computer.

Despite the fixes carried out in 2008, hackers continue to find ways to pull off the same attack. Hopes are that when Microsoft’s next batch of patches is released on Feb. 9 the company will have come up with a solution to the problem by then.

In the meantime, if you come across a link that looks suspicious, you should stay clear. If you click on the URL you might find yourself on a web site that is an exact replica of the one that wanted to link onto it, but is instead an attempt to access private information and introduce a series of viruses into your computer.

For more information on Protection your PC or laptop visit http://www.mcafee-downloads.co.uk

Tags: Anti Virus, Computer Viruses, Digital Download Products, IE, Internet Security, Mcafee, Phishing Scams, Trojan Horses, Viruses