Internet Explorer Exploits

BIGZIPZ · Post by **BIGZIPZ** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 1:33 pm

Yes more security holes have been recently discovered (and in some cases exploited) in Microsoft's Extremely Botched program, Internet Explorer.

One reason Internet Explorer often needs patching, is because it is tied into the Operating System itself. It is essentially an extension of your windows explorer, and it is extremely at risk if you do not regularly update using windowsupdate.com.

The problem is, these new flaws that have been discovered, have yet to be patched, which means your data is potentially at risk.

Solution? there is a free and simple solution, and it is called Mozilla Firefox.
This free opensource browser is liteerally the bees knees. You can open multiple internet windows inside one broswer window. The icons and terminology are essentially the same as Internet Explorer, yet it has none of the bugs and exploits that effect IE.

I have just set my copy to load my 5 most visisted sites in seperate tabs, at the click of a button, which saves me desktop space.

I strongly recommend moving away from Internet Explorer.

Most Recent Example:

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A malicious program that installs itself through a pop-up can read keystrokes and steal passwords when victims visit any of nearly 50 targeted banking sites, security researchers warned on Tuesday.

The Trojan horse was first discovered on the computer of "an employee at a major dot-com." The victim apparently picked up the program from a malicious pop-up ad that used a flaw in Internet Explorer's helper server to install itself on the user's PC. In this case, because of the computer's security settings, the installation failed. Microsoft said IE users should raise the security settings to high until the company issues a patch.
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http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox ... s/0.9.html

-the free (and better) alternative to Internet Explorer.

P.S it can import your Internet Explorer favourites, passwords and history etc etc.

BIGZIPZ · Post by **BIGZIPZ** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 1:41 pm

Example of having many sites open on tabs. No need to use a menu to close each tab either, a free addon is avalable from the plugins site to allow you to double click to close each one.

SharonM · Post by **SharonM** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 2:20 pm

Hi BigZ. Thanks for the info. I use the latest version of Netscape (7.1) almost exclusively. It has the tabs too and will import favorites from Explorer. It's also a free download, I believe. I've also noticed that it seems to load pages faster. The only time I use Explorer is when I go to a site that won't load properly on Netscape. There are still a few sites out there that only work for Explorer, so I keep my security patches updated. I wasn't aware of that Trojan. Are the virus protection firms such as Semantec and Macafee aware of it and update to date on it? I have mine set up to automatically update it's virus definitions whenever there are new ones. I also have Adaware on my computer and both of them get run at least once a week. So far no real problems.

BIGZIPZ · Post by **BIGZIPZ** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 2:42 pm

Netscape is an excellent browser. To be honest people like yourself, who update often, will have little or no experience of these nasties actually damaging your computer. Sadly not everyone is as careful with their PC.

In todays society of cyber crimes, massive online fraud, and people willing to exploit your computer - you would be suprised how many people still Don't have the 2 "big 'uns" by that I mean antivirus software and a personal firewall. Anti Spam and adware campaingers say that millions of the PC's worldwide are infected with a backdoor trojan and are used for sending spam and launghing DoS attacks. Thats millions of people who havent taken care of their PC correctly, and left it open for abuse.

A while back I read on CNET news (check the archives if you want to read it, this is going back some times) that a man had been arrested in America, after his ISP tipped the FBI off, that he was sending millions of porn and viagra emails a week over his ISP email server. He was cleared of all offences, after a virus was found on his PC, which had ran in the background invisibly and was continually sending spam, to people on a huge email list , found on a private server in Brazil!

Misteroo · Post by **Misteroo** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 2:45 pm

Tnak you very much. I did not knwo that, so that's why i'll stop using Internet Explorer and start using Mozilla Firefox.

Thanks 4 advice.

popo · Post by **popo** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 2:48 pm

Hi BZ,

I use IE all the time and when I download security patches it usually says that the vunerability is there if IE is installed even if you don't use it as your browser. So can you be sure you are more secure using a different browser with IE still on your computer?

I thought so long as you have your firewall enabled, and you've got good anti-virus software then you should be ok. I do a lot of Internet banking so being secure is important to me, but sometimes having too much security can interfere with some websites.

I've been to sites that do checks for vunerability and my computer always comes out ok.

My file system is NTFS not FAT32 and I was told when I bought it that this is more secure. I don't know if it's true.

Misteroo · Post by **Misteroo** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 2:50 pm

I take a lot of care with the PC,

that's why I advise you, BigZipz and all to use anti-spyware programs such as ad-aware or Spybot. Spyware is tracking software, it breaks the security of your pc, can damage or bring viruses wiht it and may expose all your personal data adn files to hackers along the Internet. Not to mention too much spyware in your pc can relly make it SLOW. The link to Ad-Aware is:

http://www.lavasoft.de/

Please, download it and install and run a scan. It really can save your PC!

BIGZIPZ · Post by **BIGZIPZ** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 3:01 pm

Good link Misteroo, I actually purchased the pro version some time ago

I use IE all the time and when I download security patches it usually says that the vunerability is there if IE is installed even if you don't use it as your browser. So can you be sure you are more secure using a different browser with IE still on your computer?

Your correct in a way, imagine an exploit called Nasty. Nasty is a bug which you can get from a bad website when your using Internet Explorer. This bug then effects your system.

If you use a browser like Mozilla that is immune to the internet explorer exploits, when you load the page with the nasty code on, it simply will not load, so it cannot get onto your PC in the first place.

I thought so long as you have your firewall enabled, and you've got good anti-virus software then you should be ok. I do a lot of Internet banking so being secure is important to me

When we are talking about a virus or a trojan that is exploiting Internet Explorer, its important to understand that a firewall is not going to stop it, as you already gave Internet Explorer permission to access the internet, it can download anything that the window tells it to, without your firewall trying to block it. This is where a great up-to-date antivirus will help you. Of course, as new nasties are discovered and used by hackers, it takes time (sometimes months by microsoft) and sometimes days by anti virus companies to find a fix and get it to your PC. If we use a browser that will plain simply not load the nasty code, we are alot safer.

but sometimes having too much security can interfere with some websites.

The higher you set your security tab, the more likely your website wont load right? That javascript you wanted to use, that animation you wanted to see. That site which wont let me download without installing an Active-X. Swings and roundabouts,

Misteroo · Post by **Misteroo** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 3:03 pm

wow i have mozilla, it'S GREAT!!!

thx bigzipz

Dianna · Post by **Dianna** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 5:07 pm

Yeah, Zippy, my son works in computer security and agrees with you that IE is a huge security risk. Because of this, we have used Mozilla for a long time. Haven't tried the new Firefox yet, but just waiting for version 1.0.

popo · Post by **popo** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 8:42 am

BIGZIPZ wrote:A malicious program that installs itself through a pop-up can read keystrokes and steal passwords when victims visit any of nearly 50 targeted banking sites, security researchers warned on Tuesday.

Did they mention which banks?

SharonM · Post by **SharonM** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 2:13 pm

I'd like to know that too, BigZ. I have some accounts online and I don't want them compromised.

BIGZIPZ · Post by **BIGZIPZ** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 2:33 pm

I don't know which banks. It is unlikely that the names of the banks would be released. They probably wouldn't appreciate hysteria. I imagine if it effected any customers they would contact them.

SharonM · Post by **SharonM** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:01 pm

Certainly hope so. I've told my husband many times after I've had to reformate a drive because of viruses and worms, that if I am ever in a room with someone who does these kinds of things, they will be lucky to leave the room alive. And I'm not a violent person.

Gen · Post by **Gen** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:55 pm

Hey BigZip, I have Norton's Internet Security program which includes a firewall, intrusion detection, antivirus, privacy control, ad blocking, antispam and parental control. I don't get "pop-ups" anymore and so far have not had any problems. I learned my lesson last year when the "blaster worm" got me.

I, now feel fairly secure. Is this real security or a false sense of security?

BIGZIPZ · Post by **BIGZIPZ** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 5:10 pm

Gen you are more secure than Saddam Hussein's jail cell.

You have nothing to worry about with that great rig. Remember to check windowsupdate.com often to see if there are any patches you need to get.

(alot of people alutomatically check regularly, depends how your settings are)

Gen · Post by **Gen** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 6:11 pm

Thanks for the great news, Bigzip!

I'm set up for automatic updates from Microsoft and Norton.

Thanks again!