The Training Book, the handbook for trainers


 
ITrain - International Association of Information Technology Trainers AOL Browser Security Flaw
AOL Win95 at risk of hacking
Sidebar image map AOL Security Hole
by Dave Murphy
ISSN 1535-3613

Dave Murphy, DGL President & ITrain founder A dangerous security flaw exists in the software used by about 200,000 subscribers to America Online. The bug is caused by the same weakness discovered last month in Microsoft's Internet Explorer software. Microsoft moved quickly to fix the problem, but AOL has not yet taken steps to protect its customers from the security bug. The flaw allows hackers to wipe out the data stored on a AOL user's hard drive.

Last month, students at Worcester (Mass.) Polytechnic Institute found that computers equipped with the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser are susceptible to destructive hyperlinks, which can erase files or an entire disk drive. AOL's software for Windows 95 contains a customized version of the same Microsoft browser.

Tests by The Boston Globe revealed it is possible to e-mail dangerous hyperlinks to AOL subscribers using the company's latest Windows 95 software. This software is presently in use by about 200,000 of AOL's approximately 8 million members. Users of older versions of AOL software for Windows are not affected; neither are those who use Macintosh computers.

Microsoft vice president David Cole agreed the AOL browser would indeed be susceptible to the same flaws as the stand-alone version of Internet Explorer.

AOL vice president David Gang said his company only recently received the revised computer code from Microsoft, and is in the process of designing a "patch" to fix the problem.

When the bug was discovered, Microsoft warned users about the problem on its World Wide Web site. AOL has not issued warnings to its customers.

Subscribe to ITINFO.
Receive computing and Internet news & tips
by subscribing to the ITINFO information service.
Type your Internet email address in the form, and click "Subscribe."
Email Address:

Damar Group, Ltd. helps business use technology.

ITINFO is again accepting sponsors. Sponsor messages are included in ITINFO's email newsletter and are permanently posted to DGL's website and online reference areas.

ITINFO is an electronic publication of Damar Group, Ltd., publisher of Training Express computer learning guides. Comments and submissions to info@dgl.com.

Previous issues are on our website at dgl.com/dglinfo.

updated April 11, 1997
http://dgl.com/dglinfo/1997/dg970411.html

Damar GroupReturn to DGL homepage
Copyright © 1997, Damar Group, Ltd., All Rights Reserved