Microsoft to fix IE8 zero-day flaw on Patch Tuesday

[Simon]

Microsoft's May Patch Tuesday will include a fix for a recently discovered zero-day flaw in Internet Explorer 8 that has been used to attack several high-profile targets.

The company said it would fix 33 unique vulnerabilities in two critical bulletins and eight updates rated 'important', and has rushed out a patch for a hole that was first seen last week being used by hackers targeting US government workers.

"The Critical-rated bulletins address issues in Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer," said Dustin Childs, group manager for Microsoft Trustworthy Computing in a blog post.

"Of note, we are working to have the Internet Explorer Security Update address the issue described in Security Advisory 2847140, supplementing the currently available Fix it."

The vulnerability allows attackers to run code on target machines, with the aim of extracting account details or confidential data.

Read more: http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/381748/microsoft-to-fix-ie8-zero-day-flaw-on-patch-tuesday#ixzz2T4UgTK00

[Den]

The speed that Microsoft respond these days is fantastic. Whenever someone attacks Windows or IE they look into it and fix it within days. I wish all manufacturers were the same.   

[Gary]

The speed that Microsoft respond these days is fantastic. Whenever someone attacks Windows or IE they look into it and fix it within days. I wish all manufacturers were the same.   

IE 10 looks to be a better bet and since XP is leaking like a sieve against malicious nasties sadly as its showing its age its probably better to run Windows 7 now or wait till Windows 8.1 (Blue) comes out towards the end of the year and skip 8 entirely. As for patching flaws, how many there are and how many are patched at any one time nobody really knows. MS once left a flaw unpatched for two years, and I'm sure they are not the only ones.

[Den]

Why wait for Windows 8.1 (Blue)? Windows 8 is by far the best operating system Microsoft have brought out. I am sure W8.1 will make it even better but it already knocks XP, Vista and even W7 out of the picture and in the main people who run it down have only read reports and formed their view from that. I still don't miss the start button even though I put it on my old desk top and find that Windows 8 works well either way.

[D-Dan]

I misread the title and thought they were going to fix Windows 8 - perhaps by stepping back to Windows 7. Hmm

[Clive]

   Many a true word spoken in jest. 

[Glenn]

We start rolling Windows 8 out on to an unsuspecting workforce later this month.