Multimedia applications with dangerous errors

Security researchers warn that Microsoft and AOL's multimedia software has a number of deadly security flaws that could be exploited by hackers to hijack Internet users' PCs.

The attack code for these errors is now available online. Experts confirm that the attack code is transplanted directly into a CODEC code for some older versions of Windows Media Player and AOL Winamp.

A Symantec security researcher said that some other multimedia software may also have the above security flaws if they use MP4 CODEC developed by 3ivx Technologies.

' Attack codes are often embedded directly into an MP4 file ,' Symantec expert Raymond Ball said. 'If the user clicks on the link to open this file, the attack code will be activated.

However, the attack code only penetrates Windows Media Player 6.4, Windows Media Player Classic, and Winamp 3.5.

There have not been any fixes released yet. Ball expert recommends that users should remove the MP4 Codec that fails or disable the multimedia application from using this Codec until the error is corrected.

Hoang Dung