Microsoft Set to Patch Critical Internet Explorer Flaw

News
By published

With next week's Patch Tuesday updates, Microsoft looks set to patch an Internet Explorer flaw being used to attack computers in East Asia.

Microsoft's upcoming round of Patch Tuesday monthly updates, due next week, will likely include an all-encompassing patch for a serious Internet Explorer flaw.

Malware attacking the browser flaw, dubbed a zero-day exploit because Microsoft didn't know about the underlying flaw beforehand, has been attacking government agencies and financial institutions in Japan and Taiwan through poisoned Web pages.

The flaw affects all currently supported versions of Windows (XP through 8.1) and Internet Explorer (6 through 11).

MORE: Free Antivirus Software: The Best of 2013

This month's Microsoft advance Patch Tuesday security bulletin lists a patch for a "critical" flaw matching the IE flaw's characteristics.

Microsoft issued a temporary "fix-it" for the flaw three weeks ago, but a patch delivered through Windows Update should make the fix permanent. 

To make sure the patch is delivered properly, Windows users should go to Windows Update in Control Panel and make certain their settings are set to "Install updates automatically."

Other patches due from Microsoft on Tuesday include three marked "critical" that affect all versions of Windows from XP to 8. (The flaws seem to not exist in Windows 8.1.)

Adobe Systems, maker of Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere and other creative-professional software products, will be pushing out security updates to Reader and Acrobat on Patch Tuesday. (The company synchronized its monthly patch schedule with Microsoft's last year.)

Adobe users will be prompted to install the updates after Tuesday.

Paul Wagenseil
Paul Wagenseil

Paul Wagenseil is a senior editor at Tom's Guide focused on security and privacy. He has also been a dishwasher, fry cook, long-haul driver, code monkey and video editor. He's been rooting around in the information-security space for more than 15 years at FoxNews.com, SecurityNewsDaily, TechNewsDaily and Tom's Guide, has presented talks at the ShmooCon, DerbyCon and BSides Las Vegas hacker conferences, shown up in random TV news spots and even moderated a panel discussion at the CEDIA home-technology conference. You can follow his rants on Twitter at @snd_wagenseil.

9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • sean1357
    ---> (The flaws seem to not exist in Windows 8.1.)

    Microsoft forces you to switch to Windows 8.1???? So they created more bugs in IE11....?????

    Get MacOS X????
    Reply
  • XM Keeper
    This shouldn't concern ANY Tomshardware users. I think that no one on here actually uses Internet Explorer.
    Reply
  • wdmfiber
    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/chrome-27-firefox-21-opera-next,3534.html
    It's likely many users on here prefer IE 10. Besides as a user you could end up comprised regardless of software. Just read that Firefox was unsafe on Tor:
    http://www.tomsguide.com/us/nsa-tor-revelations,news-17649.html
    Chrome? I'm done with it and not installing it on my new build.
    Reply
  • wdmfiber
    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/chrome-27-firefox-21-opera-next,3534.html
    It's likely many users on here prefer IE 10. Besides as a user you could end up comprised regardless of software. Just read that Firefox was unsafe on Tor:
    http://www.tomsguide.com/us/nsa-tor-revelations,news-17649.html
    Chrome? I'm done with it and not installing it on my new build.
    Reply
  • u_gonna_squeal_b4_we_cookya
    :...dubbed a zero-day exploit because Microsoft didn't know about the underlying flaw beforehand,"

    Now, everyone knows about it thanks to articles like this. The last time I used IE was so I could download Chrome and Firefox when I first installed Windows.
    Reply
  • u_gonna_squeal_b4_we_cookya
    :...dubbed a zero-day exploit because Microsoft didn't know about the underlying flaw beforehand,"

    Now, everyone knows about it thanks to articles like this. The last time I used IE was so I could download Chrome and Firefox when I first installed Windows.
    Reply
  • COLGeek
    Just say "No" to IE and these things won't be a problem.
    Reply
  • gajeeni
    I just want to add my story. I get paid over $87 per hour working online with Google! I work two shifts 2 hours in the day and 2 in the evening. And whats awesome is Im working from home so I get more time with my kids. Its by-far the best job I’ve had. I follow this great link >>>> http://cuttr.it/ukvczrq
    Reply
  • gajeeni
    I just want to add my story. I get paid over $87 per hour working online with Google! I work two shifts 2 hours in the day and 2 in the evening. And whats awesome is Im working from home so I get more time with my kids. Its by-far the best job I’ve had. I follow this great link >>>> http://cuttr.it/ukvczrq
    Reply