Microsoft warns

28th January 2008

Vulnerabilities discovered in Excel allow malicious hackers to create Excel documents, the opening of which threatens the computer.
This warning of Microsoft Security Advisory was published on the Microsoft site of technical support. The vulnerability opens up the ability to run malicious program stealing userâ€™s personal data.
Microsoft notes that the risk is small for the average user, and so far only targeted attacks have taken place. However, due to the wide use of Excel in business, such gaps provide sufficient degree of risk.
This vulnerability exists in Microsoft Office Excel 2003 Service Pack 2, Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003, Microsoft Office Excel 2002, Microsoft Office Excel 2000 and Microsoft Excel 2004 for Mac.
Microsoft says that those who installed Office Service Pack 3, which includes updates for Excel and other Office products, are not subjected to risk. Service Pack 3 was released in late September.
Users of Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Service Pack 1 and Microsoft Excel 2008 for Mac also have nothing to worry about.
Microsoft does not indicate when it intends to release a patch for solving the problem, but gives a very â€œpreciousâ€ advice indeed: â€œUsers who consider themselves victims of such attacks can contact Microsoft or local law enforcementâ€.