Hi All, Localwatch Tech Geek Here again.

It looks like Microsoft haven't learnt from the mistakes they made in January, and guess what there is a new security flaw in Internet Explorer.  This one isn't due to be fixed until approximately the 20th of April 2006.

What is the nature of the security flaw?

The security flaw will allow a malicious web site to take control of your system and install any program they want onto it

Why is this dangerous?

Generally these web sites will install programs which monitor your keyboard and capture things such as personal details, passwords, bank security details.  Having access to these details will allow programmers to sell your details to other fraudsters who can either a.clear out your bank account, b.  Damage your credit rating by applying for credit cards/mortgages in your name and stealing the money or c.  Use your details in connection with other crimes.

New development, cloned web sites.

As reported by Web sense security labs (www.Websensesecuritylabs.com) there were over 200 sites that currently will infect your machine by visiting them using Internet Explorer (the blue E).  In addition some of these web sites are designed as clones of existing more reliable web sites.  A recent example that they gave was a website which had cloned itself from the BBC website.  This is a really simple procedure to do and takes no more than a few minutes to generate.  The resulting website is completely indistinguishable from news.BBC.co.uk and makes it very easy for the hacker to fool you into clicking on a malicious link.  There is nothing that the BBC or any other web site can do, it is down to you to protect yourself.

How to protect yourself

I can see from the site logs that approximately 86% of you still use Internet Explorer to access the Internet.  The simplest way that you can protect yourself short of not using the Internet is to download an alternative Web browser such as Firefox.  Firefox is easy to use , does the same thing that Internet Explorer does, and is more secure and faster.

So please people I implore you do everything to protect you and your family on the Internet.  The more people protect themselves, the harder it is for these guys to stay in business.

Safe surfing

the localwatch Tech geek