Sunday, August 21, 2005
The Microsoft Template
This AP report of Microsoft's latest browser vulnerability seemed somewhat familiar. I took the liberty of creating a template to save the reporter a lot of work the next time Bill gives her a call:
If you really, really liked this -- or even really, really hated it -- there's lots more:
I'll probably patch it right away, but I'd feel a little reassured if I knew what was going on instead of just being given copies of the same dire warning message over and over. It might help me believe that finally this one really is the golden patch of biblical prophecy, the last patch we'll ever need.
__Today's date__ | SEATTLE -- Microsoft Corp. was working __Friday__ to come up with a fix for a flaw in its Internet Explorer browser that could let hackers gain remote access to computer systems through malicious Web sites.
A patch was not immediately available, though some security experts played down the risk.
"If the user doesn't browse a malicious Web site, then the user isn't even under attack," said __your expert here__, chief technology officer at __expert's company__, a security company based in __small, Northern California Town__, Calif.
The vulnerability is a problem in the way Internet Explorer handles certain pieces of data that are optional components in various programs.
The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker said it knew of no customers who had been attacked.
The company issued a security advisory __Thursday__ urging Internet users to be careful about opening up Web links in e-mails and said it would release a security update once it had completed its investigation.
The advisory came after a team of __French__ security experts published a "proof-of-concept exploit" showing how hackers could take advantage of the vulnerability.
Without referring to the exploit specifically, Microsoft said the flaw "was not disclosed responsibily, potentially putting computer users at risk."
The disclosure comes just days after a series of computer __pick: worms/viruses__, programmed to take advantage of a flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system, caused delays in operations at big companies and government offices.
