Critical Internet Explorer bugs, surf and sink (fix available)

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Critical Internet Explorer bugs, surf and sink (fix available)

Protect your identity and your computer with VACM-approved "Stuff That Works"

Greetings from The VACM Team,

In This Issue:
----------------------
- Critical Internet Explorer bugs, surf and sink (fix available)

You are free to forward this critical information to anyone
you wish as long as it is not modified in any way.

***************************************************
* The Bottom Line...
***************************************************
Microsoft has released a cumulative patch for IE versions
5.01, 5.5 and 6.0 which incorporates all previous patches and
solves two new serious security vulnerabilities.

The most recently discovered vulnerabilities have nothing to do with
emails. Just surfing to a web site that takes advantage of these
flaws allows an attacker to run any code they choose on your PC
at your privilege levels.

Microsoft has classified these latest two vulnerabilities as
CRITICAL.

Typically, an attacker would send a mass mailing crafted to
get you to click on a link for something that most people would
find very useful and/or enticing. Or, a link to something
attractive may be placed on an existing web site. Yes, it
can easily happen to anyone.

Once you click the link, you've been violated by the
IE vulnerabilities and the attackers web site.

***************************************************
* What You Should Do
***************************************************
Install the MS patches on your system, change a few settings in
order to "harden" your system against viruses, and be sure to
scan for and remove all spyware from your system(s).

1. Update your system.

First, determine what version of IE is on your system by starting
IE, then click on "HELP", then "ABOUT INTERNET EXPLORER". Make a
note of BOTH the "Version" AND the "Update Versions" numbers so
that you will know what "SP" level (Service Pack) of IE you have.
For example, in the HELP | ABOUT screen, you will see the version
AND service pack (SP) level that are installed on your system.
Samples of version you might see include:

5.5 SP1
5.5 SP2
5.00.3315.1000 SP2 (this one is actually v5.01 SP2. For some
strange reason that escapes everyone's logic, Microsoft
broke the version naming rules on this one)

Beware the version number that begins with "5.00.31...." because
it is really referred to as version 5.01.

You need this update if you have any of the following
version of IE:

- Internet Explorer 6
- Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2
- Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1
- Internet Explorer 5.01 SP3 with Windows 2000
- Internet Explorer 5.01 SP2 with Windows 2000

Once you know what version of IE is on your system, you can
apply the correct patch for your version of IE. Get the MS
update at:

http://apcsnh.com/vacm/ms810847.html

Follow the instructions on the Microsoft web pages for doing the
installation of this latest set of updates for your version of
Internet Explorer.

2. As an extra precaution, we also suggest that you follow our
"HowTo" instructions to Disable Java and ActiveX In Your Email,
which can be found at:

http://apcsnh.com/vacm/disablejavaactivex.php

3. Finally, be sure you have not already fallen victim to any of
IE's vulnerabilities by removing all SpyWare and Bots from
your system.

To do this, simply download and install SpyBot Search & Destroy.
[Editor's note: Ad-Aware has fallen to our #2 position on the
best Spyware removal tools list. They do not provide updates
sufficiently to remove new threats. Try SpyBot Search &
Destroy (SSD), our new #1 pick. It's free to download and use,
or you can make a donation to its creators if you like- your
choice. Download it from here:

http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=download

4. When you run SpyBot, be sure to use the built-in "Update" option
first, to get the latest Spyware/SpyBot removal capabilities.
Note that if you have Zone Alarm or another firewall installed,
you will have to allow SpyBot Search & Destroy to access the
internet.

To get SSD's latest updates, click the "Online" button in the
left hand column, then click "Search For Updates" at the top
of the main screen.

Next, click the "Info & License" button in the left hand column
and make sure you it shows that you have at least the following
version:

SpyBot-S&D 1.1 Rel 4

Once you have the latest updates, it's time to scan for and
remove the spyware, auto phone dialers and other nasties from
your system(s). To do this, click the "SpyBot-S&D" button in
the left hand column of SSD, then click the "Check for problems"
button at the bottom of the main screen. SSD will search your
entire system. This will typically take several minutes, after
which time you will see a list of everything that was found.

On the list of problems found, SSD will already have checked
off the items that should be removed. Unless you really know
about the internals of Windows and the registry, VACM suggests
that you do not check or uncheck anything else in the search
results window.

Next, to remove the problems found by SSD, simply click the
"Fix selected problems" button at the bottom of the screen.

When you have finished running SSD, reboot your system.

Note that SSD makes a backup of everything it removes in the
unlikely event that it removes anything that causes any of
your software to not run correctly. Also, remember that
many of the "free" software programs that you can download
DO CONTAIN SPYWARE, and once the spyware component(s) have
been removed, your "free" software may refuse to work.

This is the case with such things as Kazaa, some of the
free tax software that's out there and many other freebies.

Our recommendation-
better to remove the spyware and not be able to run the
free software that put the spyware on your system in the
first place.

Best Regards,
Marc Deschenes, VACM Editor
The VACM Project at
Automated PC Solutions

*** Be sure to check out the appendix at the end of this alert
if you are having trouble booting your computer into "Safe Mode".
The process is all spelled out for you there.

Why should you be very
concerned about Spyware? Learn how to avoid Identity Theft and Windows corruption in this
free VACM Video:
VACM-tested #1 AntiSpyware Software

How did they steal my Identity?

Why do I get so much SPAM ?

Why is your computer
running so slow ?
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******** APPENDIX - Handy How-To Tips **********

* How To Boot into Safe Mode

Shut the computer down so that the power is off.

Turn the computer on, wait 1 second and begin pressing the F8 key
on the keyboard, once every second repeatedly. Do this until
the Windows Startup Menu appears. If you get a keyboard
error, press F1 to resume and then continue pressing the
F8 key once every second, or your PC may tell you to press another key for BIOS setup.

Select Safe Mode from the Windows Startup Menu, then press
the Enter key on the keyboard.

Windows will then boot into Safe Mode.
NOTE: This may take longer than a normal boot.

At the end of the boot process a dialog box will appear
informing you that Windows is in Safe Mode. Click OK on this dialog box.

Windows is now in Safe Mode.

If you miss hitting the F8 at the right time, Windows will boot
normally and you will not see the "Safe Mode" message. In this
case, start from the top of these instructions until you get the
boot menu screen where you can choose "Safe Mode". This can be
a little tricky the first time you do it.