6,000 Web Sites Compromised to Target IE Vulnerability

The number of Web sites compromised to host malicious code to explore a new discovered Internet Explorer vulnerability continues to rise as Microsoft continues to work on a permanent fix.

The vulnerability, discovered by Trend Micro, exploits a flaw in the widely used browser that enables malicious code—a Trojan or worm—to surreptitiously to download and compromise the host computer.

According to Trend Micro, more than 6,000 Web sites worldwide had been compromised with malicious code to exploit the IE vulnerability. Microsoft says less than .02 percent of Web users have encountered a compromised Web site, but acknowledged that the threat remains serious.

In lieu of a patch, solution providers should advise their clients to set their IE Internet security zone to “high” and disabling XML Island functionality.

READ eWeek REPORT: Hackers Compromise Legit Web Sites to Target Microsoft IE Flaw