Internet Explorer vulnerable to attack

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer has been revealed to host a serious security hole, which can leave its users vulnerable to having their computers hijacked.

The security break allows criminals to hijack a person’s computer, by tricking the user into visiting a website with dangerous programming codes. Approximately 10,000 dangerous sites have been flagged since last week.

The sites are mostly used to steal passwords for computer games, which can be sold for money. But the flaw can also be “adopted by more financially motivated criminals for more serious mayhem – that’s a big fear right now,” Trend Micro security researcher Paul Ferguson says.

Microsoft says the only version affected is version 7, but it is the most widely used edition of the software. It says it is currently investigating the flaw.