Switch Browsers Now, If in wrong half of user population
Anyone using Internet Explorer, versions 6 to 11, to browse the web: Switch browsers NOW. That means about 55 percent of all users browsing the Internet on any day should find a safer browser, according to the US Department of Homeland Security. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/28/us-cybersecurity-microsoft-browser-idUSBREA3Q0PB20140428
Homeland Security’s United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) says a sophisticated group of skilled cyber punks has targeted the most commonly used browser to launch attacks against defense and finance organizations in the United States. http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/internet-explorer-bug-used-by-hackers-to-attack-u-s-firms-1.2624032
Carnegie Mellon’s Software Engineering Institute reports that no solution to the weakness in the affected browsers has yet been developed. The institute plans to host a conference on this and related topics within a few weeks. http://www.sei.cmu.edu/community/writ2014/
“Operation Clandestine Fox,” the name of the cyber attack against affected IE browsers, has been under investigation by cyber security firms such as FireEye Inc through its Mandiant division. http://www.fireeye.com/blog/
HamiltonFinanceServices.com analysts observe that IE versions 6 through 11 run mostly on old XP systems, so those who moved on to Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 have no risk from Operation Clandestine Fox, and now perhaps would be a good time to abandon XP altogether, for the rest of us. What do you think?
