14 DAY TRIAL // Windows XP machines are now vulnerable to attacks due to a flaw found in Internet Explorer and expected to be fixed by Microsoft in the coming weeks, but there's no need to panic, a security expert says.
ESET Senior Research Fellow David Harley claims that Windows XP users running Internet Explorer are still on the safe side as long as they do not click on malicious links trying to exploit the flaw.
“Don’t panic: the known attacks around at present are limited in scope and volume. Being reasonably careful about which sites you visit is in itself likely to reduce the risk. On the other hand, don’t lapse into complacency,” he said in a blog post.
Windows XP is the only platform that won't get patched once Microsoft manages to fix the flaw, but many security experts across the world have already recommended users still on this platform to either give up on Internet Explorer completely or upgrade to a newer OS version.
A number of workarounds already exist to configure Internet Explorer in such a way that it would be fully protected against the flaw, but moving to a newer OS version is a decision which can't be delayed forever, so it's better to update right now and stay completely secure.