A security hole in Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express software, which could have opened the door for malicious e-mailers to take control of home computers, appears to have been plugged by the software giant.
In a serious case, the security "vulnerability" could allow computer code of the malicious user's choice to execute on the recipient's computer.
Such code could take any action that the user was authorised to take on the machine, including reformatting the hard drive, communicating with an external website or changing data on the computer.
There have been no reports of any such hackers exploiting this to damage computers, and business networks are not vulnerable.
A software "patch" has been made available on the Microsoft website.
The vulnerability is eliminated by recently-released versions of Microsoft's web browser, Internet Explorer. Specifically, a default installation of Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 1 will eliminate the vulnerability for all customers, and a default installation of Internet Explorer 5.5 will eliminate it for all but Windows 2000 users.
A spokeswoman for Microsoft New Zealand, Carol Leishman, said 30 people had called the company to find out more about the notice.
She said anyone with concerns about it should ring a phone number set up by the company or visit the Microsoft New Zealand website.
Microsoft security bulletin
Microsoft Services (NZ):
Tel: 0800 800 004
Auckland: (09) 357 5576
Microsoft addresses Outlook security
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