This past Saturday, Microsoft announced that a major vulnerability was found in all supported versions of its internet browser, Internet Explorer. Even if you know and follow the rules for surfing safely, you are still vulnerable. Microsoft has not yet released an update or “fix-it” to address the issue. The best (and easiest) way to protect yourself is to switch to a different internet browser, such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Opera. There are some software settings and downloads that can help increase the security of IE, but these may require more tech savvy than some people care to muster.
For more details about the vulnerability, along with suggestions for increasing the security of your Internet Explorer installation, check out this article at the blog “Krebs on Security.”