Microsoft issues emergency "Google attack" patch

The world's biggest software company, which said hackers target Google and as a minimum twenty other companies in China broken a weak point in its browser, said its new patch was "critical" and people must apply it as soon as possible.

Other hackers have begun to use the error, according to experts with Symantec Corp, the world's largest security software maker.

Symantec has get viruses that take benefit of the flaw in Microsoft's browser on around hundred websites, security expert John Harrison said.

They are risky because they can suffer the PC of any user who visits those sites. Unlike less powerful viruses, it is not compulsory for people to download software for their system to become infected, Harrison said.

Machine is safe if they apply the patch, which solves 8 vulnerabilities in IE, Microsoft said. The most serious may well allow hackers to give control of a computer remotely through Web sites user visit while using the browser.
"We're always working, we have less susceptibility.

He gave no sign that Microsoft would vary its business in China after Google exposed to give up the country last week. "We respect the laws of China, it's the only suitable thing for us to do," he said.

The viruses Symantec has get only effectively attack IE6, though hackers could figure out how to break through the suspicion of IE7 and 8, the most latest version of the software, Symantec's Harrison said.

Most IE users, who have automatic updating enabled on their machine, will not require taking any exploit on the security patch, Microsoft said. For manual updating, it going to users to its website.