AVG moves quickly

One security software firm is seeking to capitalise on the recently discovered vulnerability in Microsoft's Internet Explorer web hosting browser, it has been reported.

AVG this week moved to reassure computer users that its commercial AVG 8.0 security software product has covered them from this security threat since December 11th, according to My Host News.

The firm noted that its software has blocked nearly 5,000 attacks against 3,000 users since the problem was announced by Microsoft.

Roger Thompson, AVG's chief research officer and original developer of the LinkScanner technology, is quoted as saying the likely perpetrators of this vulnerability exploit are those that have been stealing World of Warcraft passwords over the past couple of years.

JR Smith, the firm's chief executive officer, said: "Today, the fastest growing dangers on the internet are fast-moving, transient threats that appear on one or more web sites temporarily, from a few weeks to just a few seconds."

Founded in 1991, the firm has offices around Europe and the US and protects more than 80 million users.