That Internet Explorer 9 security flaw (or 2 or 3)...

[Catty1]

Microsoft says to install this security tool until it comes up with a patch for the problem:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/security-experts-warn-bug-microsofts-browser-201511548--sector.html

On the MS website: Kv497S

[Hellow]

I don't realistically understand why people would still use Internet Explorer, but yes, there was a critical 0day found in IE. A few, from what I've determined, but they're all related to each other. The problem affects all IE browser versions all the way down to version 6, which is what was released originally with Windows XP.

The *best* solution is to just not use it and use Firefox or Google Chrome, considering that both have extremely fast fixes for security flaws found, and both are open-source projects so they're critiqued by far more people than Microsoft could hire (Chrome itself isn't open-source, but it's base - Chromium - is). Also, Chrome is Google's brainchild, and Firefox has been around for forever. Both are excellent browsers. That said, there's a few programs that simply will not run without using Internet Explorer, which brings me to the next suggestion:

The other best solution is to ensure that you're running an up-to-date antivirus program, since I believe the flaw installs malicious software through the browser instead of using the browser directly to control the computer, and said malicious software would be detected and eliminated quickly by most antivirus programs.

Whoops, I just now read that Microsoft released an emergency patch for the program today, just a few hours ago. It should be available through Windows Updates. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin/ms12-063 That update should be installed post-haste on any computer that's affected by this. Which, unless you're running Windows ME or older (and you shouldn't be), is every computer.