COMMAND
MS Internet Explorer
SYSTEMS AFFECTED
Win 95, Win 98, Win NT
PROBLEM
Fabio Ciucci found following. It's a denial-of-service problem in
that it prevents you from using the system. His applet is hanging
the system. Sample and info can be retreived from:
http://www.anfyjava.com/iebug/
Only one Kb of .class file is required (it's a special Java applet
who uses the "modified" java specifications by Microsoft) to crash
not only Explorer 4.0, 4.1 (and Explorer 5 beta too!), but the
whole Windows system (Windows 95, and Windows 98): all the open
tasks are lost immediately, and a reboot is required. On Windows
NT, Internet Explorer crashes, but the operating system in most
cases is still usable.
The applet will NOT RUN in true and 100% pure Java environments,
such as Netscape Navigator, Sun's HotJava or using the Java
Plugin. As explained before, Java is a secure and reliable
technology, and the bug is only present in NON STANDARD Java
modifications done by Microsoft in his Internet Explorer 4 on
Windows systems (the applet will not work on Explorer 3 or
previous, and in Apple Mac Explorer).
SOLUTION
MS is working on it.