Microsoft Provides Fix For Browser Flaw

Researchers at Princeton University who study computer security discovered that Microsoft's Internet Explorer version 3.0, released last week, contains a flaw that could allow user's files to be damaged or deleted by Web site authors.

The Princeton researchers notified Microsoft of the flaw late Tuesday.

Microsoft has received no reports of users encountering this behavior, or of any sites on the Internet that exploit the behavior, the company said in an Internet message.

But Bill Koszewski, a Microsoft product manager, said the software giant quickly developed a patch for the browser and posted it on the Internet.

Any time we hear about a problem that pertains to security we're very, very concerned, he said.

 

The flaw is the third to be reported in the free software, Microsoft's bid to surpass the market dominating Navigator from rival Netscape Communications Corp, which released a new version of its browser this week.

But Koszewski said Microsoft executives are really pleased in the overall quality of the product.

The other flaws were a glitch that required users to enter their passwords repeatedly on about 10 password-protected Web sites and a problem that required extra hard-drive space to install the browser.