AOL Plugs Net Hole.

[reportfurther]

AOL plugs net hole

Friday 4 January 2002

A security hole uncovered in America On Line's popular Instant Messenger service was fixed early today, the company announced.

Computer security experts warned yesterday that the service, which allows users to exchange realtime messages and computer files, was vulnerable to hackers.

The flaw could have allowed someone to seize control of a user's computer and then order it to erase its own data files or send computer viruses to other computers.

AOL spokesman Andrew Weinstein said that the firm had patched the hole on AOL computers in Dulles, Virginia today.

"We fixed it early Thursday," Weinstein said. "It was done on computers at AOL, so users don't have to do anything."

"To our knowledge, no one was affected by the flaw," Weinstein added.

The flaw was similar to the problem recently found in Microsoft Corp's Windows XP, which would have allowed a hacker to remotely delete files or take over a computer. Microsoft issued a patch to rectify the problem last month.

[BOAC]

Have recently signed up for a trial with AOL and have been inundated with spam to my new AOL screen name within 24 hrs of starting. Thought I had a suitably ciphered screen name but they must either be using a random address creator (in which case all AOLers will suffer), or AOL are releasing names. Anyone else had this problem?

Have had absolutely NO response from the Spam section at AOL to 2 emails over 10 days.

[reportfurther]

Sorry to hear that, I have been with AOL for years, while they are not perfect, have never had any spam until just recently, and then only 2 or 3 items.

I sent them straight to AOL, via that "notify AOL" button, and it seemed to stop each one?

They say that they take a very strong line with any spam, and IF it is from another AOL member, they say they will actually suspend that member.