April 30, 2014 – Edwardsville, IL – DataRecovery.com, a world leader in professional data recovery services, released a list of tips for personal computer users to protect against a recently discovered Adobe Flash exploit in Internet Explorer.
The United States Department of Homeland Security recently warned PC users against using Internet Explorer, as a bug discovered by FireEye Research Labs could allow a hacker to circumvent the security protections in various Windows operating systems. The hack uses Adobe Flash, a popular web browser add-on.
“Many users and small businesses are simply not using Internet Explorer to avoid the exploit, but this is not an effective solution,” said Michael Katich, Lead Programmer and Analyst at DataRecovery.com. “If Internet Explorer is your default browser, you’re one click away from a serious security risk.”
“Even if your default browser isn’t Internet Explorer, a hacker could still infiltrate your system,” Katich explained. “For instance, a program installed on your computer could instruct Internet Explorer to run, which could then allow unauthorized users direct access to your machine.”
DataRecovery.com offers the following solutions to the exploit:
- Disable the Adobe Flash Plugin in Internet Explorer. After clicking the Settings menu in Internet Explorer, click “Manage add-ons,” then find the Adobe Flash plugin and click “Disable”.
- Uninstall Adobe Flash Altogether. Flash can be uninstalled through Windows’ Add/Remove Programs interface. As Flash is a commonly used program, this may be an unrealistic solution, but it’s a viable option for high-security systems.
- Enable Enhanced Protected Mode in Internet Explorer 10 or Later. DataRecovery.com recommends keeping web browsers updated to prevent security issues. Newer versions of the browser have an enhanced protection feature, accessible through the Internet Options menu. On the “Advanced” tab, click “Enable Enhanced Protected Mode” to add an extra layer of protection to the browser.
- Uninstall Internet Explorer. If you do not use Internet Explorer regularly, you can completely uninstall it. Go to Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, then click Turn Windows Features On or Off. Depending on your Windows version, you can then un-click Internet Explorer or select the program to uninstall it.
- While these steps can protect against current versions of the exploit, DataRecovery.com also recommends regularly updating web browser software and avoiding potential security issues by using firewalls and third-party security programs to mitigate risks.
Datarecovery.com is a world leader in data recovery and computer forensics. With four locations across the US and Canada, the company provides a variety of data recovery services to thousands of clients each year. Visit www.datarecovery.com for more information.
Contact Information
Datarecovery.com, Inc.
Ben Carmitchel
1-602-635-2020
www.datarecovery.com
Michael Katich 618-307-0070 ext.257
