The U.S. Department of Homeland security is advising Americans not to use the Internet Explorer Web browser until a fix is found for a serious security flaw that came to light over the weekend.
The bug was announced on Saturday by FireEye Research Labs, an Internet security software company based in Milpitas, Calif.
"We are currently unaware of a practical solution to this problem," Will Dormann at the CERT division of the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, wrote on Monday.
It recommended that users and administrators "consider employing an alternative Web browser until an official update is available."
The security flaw allows malicious hackers to get around security protections in the Windows operating system. They then can be infected when visiting a compromised website.
Because the hack uses a corrupted Adobe Flash file to attack the victim's computer, users can avoid it by turning off Adobe Flash.
http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/serious-internet-explorer-bug-leaves-half-all-browsers-open-hack-n91281
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/usanow/2014/04/28/internet-explorer-bug-homeland-security-clandestine-fox/8409857/
What to do? I currently have IE11... and it's a Yugo. Not showing Adobe Flash installed on my computer, but is it built-in to 11? I understand IE is necessary for some Windows functions (per GRM search) so keep it for now, lock it up in the basement somehow?
I've been reluctant to change to Chrome as I had trouble w/ it on my old 'puter. Adobe Flash was the problem there.
I'm no computer whiz. What's the reasonable action?
Sorry if I offended any Yugo fans.
People use IE for things besides downloading chrome and firefox?
I just had an update installed.
Maybe that was it.
Kenny_McCormic wrote:
People use IE for things besides downloading chrome and firefox?
I unfortunately have to use it for work related things like putting my time in for the week and checking my pay stub. The secure site won't work with the other browsers.
so disable flash. I use IE because I cannot stand firefox or Chrome.
Flash is disabled. Used to use Firefox years ago and then Chrome on my old computer. Chrome was the better IMO (not 100% by any means) but it eventually became a pain w/ Flash issues that never got sorted out. New computer is prolly 10-11 months old, IE has been pretty OK so I stuck w/ it but is just starting to give me (not responding) issues.
Prolly time to upgrade, Chrome is the likeliest choice but I'm not current w/ the latest/ greatest available yet. Hate to start jumpin' around 'in search of'. To me, Chrome is kinda like hookin' up w/ an old GF when ya know what the issues will be.
Kenny_McCormic wrote:
People use IE for things besides downloading chrome and firefox?
I am forced to at work, and I also have to use web based java programs in which I put in social security numbers. 
mad_machine wrote:
so disable flash. I use IE because I cannot stand firefox or Chrome.
What's wrong with FF or Chrome? Aside from actually abiding by the web standards that MS threw out because they didn't want to play with the other kids.
turboswede wrote:
mad_machine wrote:
so disable flash. I use IE because I cannot stand firefox or Chrome.
What's wrong with FF or Chrome? Aside from actually abiding by the web standards that MS threw out because they didn't want to play with the other kids.
Maybe he likes his browsing nice and slow 
GameboyRMH wrote:
turboswede wrote:
mad_machine wrote:
so disable flash. I use IE because I cannot stand firefox or Chrome.
What's wrong with FF or Chrome? Aside from actually abiding by the web standards that MS threw out because they didn't want to play with the other kids.
Maybe he likes his browsing nice and slow
I have a fairly modern computer.. (2 years old) and I tried Chrome, saw -no- improvement over IE.
mad_machine wrote:
GameboyRMH wrote:
turboswede wrote:
mad_machine wrote:
so disable flash. I use IE because I cannot stand firefox or Chrome.
What's wrong with FF or Chrome? Aside from actually abiding by the web standards that MS threw out because they didn't want to play with the other kids.
Maybe he likes his browsing nice and slow
I have a fairly modern computer.. (2 years old) and I tried Chrome, saw -no- improvement over IE.
Even if you don't see any performance difference, it is much more secure. IE stole a number of improvements from Mozilla and Google for the later versions of IE. However they will never have a secure solution since insecurity is built into their solutions from the get go.
Kenny_McCormic wrote:
People use IE for things besides downloading chrome and firefox?
Unfortunately Honda's Interactive Network ONLY runs on IE. We're hosed.
Bobzilla wrote:
Kenny_McCormic wrote:
People use IE for things besides downloading chrome and firefox?
Unfortunately Honda's Interactive Network ONLY runs on IE. We're hosed.
So for those, only use IE for that site and use your favorite browser for everything else. Also if more people would complain to the vendors that fail to write apps that adhere to the web standards, then perhaps they would actually listen and rewrite their apps to work properly.
Hal
SuperDork
4/30/14 1:34 p.m.
fasted58 wrote:
Because the hack uses a corrupted Adobe Flash file to attack the victim's computer, users can avoid it by turning off Adobe Flash.
??? Some of these articles mention Adobe Flash and other just say Flash, which is it?
Our computers are all running Windows 8 and IE 11.
I do not have Adobe Flash on any of our computers. I did find Microsoft Shockwave Flash on the computers but I had disabled that some time ago. Any ideas if that will be good enough?
I have looked at some of the temporary security fixes but don't want to make those changes because it will mess up other things.
turboswede wrote:
Bobzilla wrote:
Kenny_McCormic wrote:
People use IE for things besides downloading chrome and firefox?
Unfortunately Honda's Interactive Network ONLY runs on IE. We're hosed.
So for those, only use IE for that site and use your favorite browser for everything else. Also if more people would complain to the vendors that fail to write apps that adhere to the web standards, then perhaps they would actually listen and rewrite their apps to work properly.
We've been doing that a while anyway because IE would crash 2-3 times a day forcing us to restart where Chrome has been up for 3 weeks without a restart or crash
Duke
UltimaDork
4/30/14 2:19 p.m.
The people that bought SketchUp from Google have rewritten it so that it requires IE to access the 3D Warehouse stuff, and it requires that access to run, even if you don't use the Warehouse.
IDIOTS.
PHeller
PowerDork
4/30/14 2:19 p.m.
how do you disable adobe flash?
Initially I couldn't find Adobe Flash in my programs, then I went to my computer Control Panel/ Programs, found it and uninstalled it. I'll leave it out till there's an IE fix then reinstall it. Some sites I visit are asking to install it but I just ignore it for now.
Gonna take the plunge and install Chrome tonight.
Knurled
PowerDork
4/30/14 7:12 p.m.
turboswede wrote:
mad_machine wrote:
I have a fairly modern computer.. (2 years old) and I tried Chrome, saw -no- improvement over IE.
Even if you don't see any performance difference, it is much more secure. IE stole a number of improvements from Mozilla and Google for the later versions of IE. However they will never have a secure solution since insecurity is built into their solutions from the get go.
I remember reading somewhere that Chrome is less secure because of the way the ad blockers have to work in its environment.
Adblock is the #1 way to prevent malware. It seems like most malware injections occur from ads.
I'm forced to use Chrome at work, and it sucks heavily. Google keeps changing the UI for no apparent reason. A sudden UI change is also a typical sign of a malware injection.
Switched to Chrome tonight, not a real fanboi yet although I used it for years before.
IE11 wasn't that bad, did pretty good for 10-11 months but then the page not responding started, then that security thing... bye-bye IE.
I always been pretty loyal to stuff until they prove to be a PITA. 
There are a lot of payment sites that don't allow Chrome so I flip back and forth. IE is slower but both it and Chrome are better than Silk. Face facts, NONE of them are 100 percent safe.
