Windows Safari users beware: Carpet Bomb Attack Code is now public

For those of you who are Windows users running Safari, be warned; hackers have posted code that can be use to exploit Windows Safari users, and this is a very dangerous piece of code. Through it, a hacker can place thousands of executable files on an unsuspecting user’s desktop, destroying information and possibly copying sensitive information onto their machine. The following is from a Macworld report:

“Now that there is a public example of the attack code, Safari users running the Windows operating system should be concerned,” said Eric Schultze, chief technical officer at Shavlik Technologies. “This is a bad thing. If you’ve got Safari, you’re in trouble,” he said.”

Two weeks after the code was originally discovered, more of its capabilities were unveiled. Some of those capabilities include the ability not only to run executables files from the victim’s computer, but also regular computer programs.

Interestingly, Apple has announced that it does not plan to patch the security flaw, but Microsoft has sent out advisories to stay away from Safari until a patch is released. Since Apple isn’t working on a patch, this is a sign that Microsoft may be working on one of their own. In the advisory, Microsoft said the code will effect all versions of Windows XP and Vista.

Via [Macworld]