New Internet Explorer Vulnerability Released at the Blackhat Conference Can't Be Fixed

New Security Vulnerability Turns Internet Explorer on Windows XP into Public File Server

A recent major security vulnerability involving Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser when run on Windows XP allows hackers to turn your every day computer into a full blown file sharing sever. Despite the novelty you may experience with the idea for a short minute, most people just can't afford for hackers to go sniffing around their personal files.

Unfortunately, there seems to be nothing that can be done about this issue as the problem lies in the very nature of the Windows XP operating system itself. One of the core, structural, designing implementations allows any hacker to abuse your system.

"An attacker can manage to exploit and take advantage of a series of features that Internet Explorer has because of the way it was designed and programmed," Medina told InternetNews.com. "By abusing those features, an attacker can read every file on the local disk of the victim."

First and foremost, in order to protect yourself it's important to get the information out there. You might want to go ahead and forward this article to all your friends, family and colleagues so that they can be aware of what this vulnerability is, who it affects, and most importantly, how to make sure you stay safe.

Staying Safe: How to Avoid the New Internet Explorer Vulnerability

1. If at all possible, you can upgrade your operating system by purchasing either Windows Vista or Windows 7 either online or at your local computer store.

Obviously this isn't going to be an option for everybody but it should be noted that this is the single best way to make sure you stay safe when browsing online. Running the latest software and using the most recent updates is the best way to make sure that you are using the Internet safely as the most risky time to have a vulnerability is when everybody in the world knows about it.

2. Avoid using Windows Internet Explore for the time being and use either Firefox or Chrome.