In a surprise announcement today the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) issued a note saying that users shouldn't use Internet Explorer. Sounds to me like they got tired of all the security problems that IE has been popping up with.
Microsoft shares traded in the red Wednesday, but the software giant's stock appeared not to feel a significant negative impact from a government group's warning against using the Internet Explorer Web browser.
The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, known as CERT, issued a "vulnerability note" saying that computer users should not use the Internet Explorer browser because of security vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to launch attacks on personal computers and corporate networks.
The security lapses can cause a Web site to make the browser think, in effect, that it is running a program that violates its security settings. The Web site can then be used to do anything from recording keystrokes, which make it easier to steal passwords and credit-card numbers, to installing pop-up-ad programs. CERT is suggesting that computer users take steps such as applying security updates to Outlook e-mail programs and maintaining antivirus software, and using alternative Web browsers.
News source: CBS MarketWatch
