Watch Out If You Use Internet Explorer

With a security breach having been detected, make sure you download the emergency patch from 6pm tonight.

Do you find there are some bits of advice you're given that you abide by, and some you promptly forget? I am guilty of the latter with most things but a nugget of advice that has stuck was given to me by an old colleague - never use Internet Explorer as your browser when doing any internet banking, as it's the one hackers attack the most.

Serious Flaw in Internet Explorer

Well, that rule was certainly relevant, yesterday, as Microsoft admitted that a serious flaw in Internet Explorer's security has been found which could allow criminals to take control of people's computers and steal passwords.

So far, the detected loophole (which allows "cyber-criminals" to gain access to a PC by directing users to infected websites) has only been used to steal gaming passwords which can be sold on the black market, but there are fears that it could be "adopted by more financially motivated criminals for more serious mayhem".

Microsoft claims it has only detected attacks against Internet Explorer 7 (IE7), the most common version of the browser, although warned that other versions are potentially vulnerable. And with an estimated two million computers and 100,000 websites already thought to be affected, this is a pretty significant problem.

So what is Microsoft doing to fix the problem?

Well, the software giant must have had its developers working all hours as it has announced it will be issuing an emergency patch on its Windows Update website to fix the flaw at 18.00 GMT today.

Microsoft also recommends users keep their firewall turned on, and keep their operating system, anti-virus and anti-spyware software up-to-date.

You can find more information on how to protect your computer at Microsoft's Security At Home website.

Use a different browser

However, some experts recommend that you simply switch to a different browser such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, or Apple's Safari until you have downloaded the emergency patch.

Stay up-to-date

But it's important to note that while these browsers are not vulnerable to this flaw; this doesn't mean they are exempt from problems. Indeed, the best way to protect your computer, regardless of the browser you use, is to ensure you are up-to-date with your security updates. Yes, that means not clicking on the "remind me later" box when your computer flashes up that an update is available, do it straight away!

So if you're an Internet Explorer user, the advice is not to panic; follow the tips given by Microsoft, download the patch this evening, and make sure you keep your computer up-to-date.

You can find a more technical explanation of the IE7 flaw here.