Cyber Woes

You know things are bad when Microsoft is trying to draw attention to its latest security flaw. A new vulnerability is affecting Internet Explorer users who are running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 (do the latter even exist anymore?), allowing hackers to take control of victims' PCs remotely.

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The flaw lies in how Internet Explorer and its notorious ActiveX controls handle video playback. Microsoft is encouraging users to disable the vulnerable ActiveX controls -- even in versions of Windows not known to be affected by the security problem -- until it can release an emergency patch later this month.

  Switched

Here’s where Vista users are happy for once. But the US Government isn’t quite so thrilled.

WASHINGTON – A widespread computer attack that began July 4 knocked out the Web sites of the Treasury Department, the Secret Service and other U.S. government agencies, according to officials inside and outside the government.

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The U.S. government Web sites, which also included those of the Federal Trade Commission and the Transportation Department, were all down at varying points over the holiday weekend and into this week.

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An initial investigation found that many personal computers were infected with a virus ordering them to visit major official Web sites in South Korea and the U.S. at the same time, Korea Information Security Agency official Shin Hwa-su said.

  Yahoo

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.