[Computer Corner]

TVMayor, if you have good security measures and safe browsing habits you don't have much to worry about. However, it is true that Windows XP is going to begin seeing viruses that abuse the fact that Microsoft will never be updating again. Any vulnerability found in XP at this point will never be covered. If you want to save yourself a headache of getting viruses removed it would be best to just pay the cash to upgrade to a new operating system or get a new machine altogether.

Moral of the story: Upgrade to a newer version of Windows.

See here for more info, if you're interested:
http://blogs.technet.com/b/security/...port-ends.aspx

[JourneyOfLife]

Some info relevant to those hanging on to WinXP.

Windows XP users are getting their first taste of life without security updates after the discovery of a major flaw within the Internet Explorer Web browser. Microsoft issued a warning regarding the flaw this weekend, saying it affects Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11. The vulnerability makes it possible for hackers to take control of a user's computer after it has been infected with malicious code.

The bug was discovered by FireEye, a security firm, which said hackers are sending out emails with links to websites that contain malicious code. If a user clicks on a link to one of these websites while using Internet Explorer, it is likely that hackers will gain control of their machine.

For now, security experts advise that Windows users avoid Internet Explorer until Microsoft issues a patch for the problem, which will likely happen on May 13. But that patch will not protect users of Windows XP.

That's because Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP earlier this month. After 13 years of maintaining Windows XP, Microsoft said it would no longer issue security updates for the popular operating system.

Microsoft warns of major Internet Explorer bug; no fix for Windows XP - latimes.com

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by JourneyOfLife

Some info relevant to those hanging on to WinXP.



Microsoft warns of major Internet Explorer bug; no fix for Windows XP - latimes.com

Which is why I will make Firefox the default browser on my XP machine tomorrow.

But since IE is not part of windows I wonder why they will not update the IE that runs on XP. Some people running windows might be running that level of IE on a non XP system.

Z

[CFrance]

I don't understand why it is going to take Microsoft two weeks to come up with a patch for the IE bug.

I don't use IE, but my husband does. However, we never open email links. Should he stop using IE till the patch comes out?

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I don't understand why it is going to take Microsoft two weeks to come up with a patch for the IE bug.

I don't use IE, but my husband does. However, we never open email links. Should he stop using IE till the patch comes out?

For what it is worth:

Governments urge Internet Explorer users to switch browsers until fix found.

Governments urge Internet Explorer users to switch browsers until fix found | ZDNet


Z

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by zcaveman

Which is why I will make Firefox the default browser on my XP machine tomorrow.

But since IE is not part of windows I wonder why they will not update the IE that runs on XP. Some people running windows might be running that level of IE on a non XP system.

Z

Microsoft released a fix for the zero day problem for XP. If you run Windows Update on your XP system you will find a fix for IE.

Microsoft had to patch Windows XP | ZDNet

Z

[CFrance]

Thank you, thank you! My old workhorse Dell Inspiron laptop, which runs XP and which I keep around for backup, is happily burbling away, installing the update.