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Microsoft Warns of New Vulnerability for Internet Explorer

Beware of suspicious Office document files

By Cesar Cadenas Cesar Cadenas Writer California State University - Long Beach Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry since 2016 on a variety of topics like cryptocurrency, video games, the latest gadgets, and much more. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 16, 2022 02:07PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Internet & Security Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Microsoft has issued a warning for users that a new vulnerability found in Internet Explorer could put them at risk from infected Office documents. The advisory was posted on the Microsoft Security Response Center’s (MSRC) website, which is Mircosoft’s cybersecurity team that strives to protect users from threat actors and attacks. Microsoft no longer supports Internet Explorer and recommends that you update to the newer Edge browser. Head to their site to download the newest version. Bill Hinton/Getty Images The vulnerability has been dubbed CVE-2021-40444, and it’s being described as a hole in MSHTML, which is the browser engine behind Internet Explorer. What threat actors do is create a Microsoft Office document that houses a malicious ActiveX control. ActiveX controls are small bits of software that allow websites to provide content on Internet Explorer. Once a user opens the infected document, the malicious ActiveX control implants malware onto the targeted computer. The MSRC currently is investigating the situation. The vulnerability has yet to be patched, although Microsoft is most likely working on fixing this problem. The issue is so severe that even the US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) posted a warning on its official Twitter account for IT professionals across the country to protect their systems. Mitigations are already in place as Microsoft Office opens documents taken from the internet in Protected View or Application Guard for Office to prevent attacks. The company’s antivirus tools, like Defender for Endpoint, also can detect the exploit and protect your computer. The MSRC recommends that users keep their antivirus and anti-malware software up to date. Users who automatically update their protections have nothing to worry about. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use ActiveX Filtering in Internet Explorer 11 Managing Add-Ons in Internet Explorer 11 What Is a Windows SmartScreen Filter? When Is Internet Explorer End of Life? How to Disable Protected Mode in Internet Explorer How to Turn off the Phishing Filter in Internet Explorer How to Delete Internet Explorer ActiveX Controls How to Selectively Disable Internet Explorer Add-ons Improving Performance in Internet Explorer 11 How to Manage AutoComplete in Internet Explorer 11 How to Fix a Connection-Is-Not Private Error How to Change the Internet Explorer Home Page How to Fix the 'Internet Explorer Has Stopped Working' Error How to Delete Temporary Internet Files in Internet Explorer How to Uninstall or Remove Internet Explorer What Is Microsoft Internet Explorer? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies