14 DAY TRIAL // The Better Business Bureau has issued a new security advisory for Windows users, this time telling them to temporarily replace Internet Explorer with another browser, as a recently-discovered vulnerability allows cybercriminals to break into their computers.
The security flaw that the BBB is referring to has already been confirmed by Microsoft, which also said that both Internet Explorer 10 and 11 are protected against the flaw. The problem, however, is that Windows XP no longer receives patches since it already reached end of support, so users running it have no other option than to give up on Internet Explorer once and for all.
That's actually what the BBB is also saying, recommending users to temporarily switch to a different web browser, disable Adobe Flash Player “as the attack may not work without it” download the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) for additional protection.
“The ‘use-after-free’ vulnerability can allow remote attackers to install code on a user’s computer without authorization. Versions 6 through 11 of Internet Explorer (IE) are vulnerable, and users who still have the Windows XP operating system are at greater risk because the company is no longer supporting the product,” BBB said in the advisory.
According to Microsoft's advisory, all versions of Internet Explorer are affected by the flaw, so in case you're running Windows XP, switching to a different browser might be indeed your only option.