Warning That a New Virus is Activated by Using F1 Key in Windows-Truth!

Summary of the eRumor:  
This is a warning that may include a link to a magazine article that tells Microsoft XP Operating System users that they could activate a hidden program in their computers that gives hackers full control of their computers.

The Truth:  
The warning is real according to a Microsoft security advisory released March 1, 2010.

According to the advisory, a computer user surfing the internet with the Microsoft Internet Explorer could activate the malware by hitting the F1 key, after being prompted to do so, while visiting an infected website when certain Microsoft products are installed and running on their systems.    

The Redmond Washington based software company began receiving reports of a "vulnerability in VBScript that is exposed on supported versions of Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 through the use of Internet Explorer." 

The Microsoft advisory listed the following affected software packages:

 Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4

Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows XP Service Pack 3

 Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Service Pack 2

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2

Windows Server 2003 with SP2 for Itanium-based Systems

Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition Service Pack 2.

Their investigation showed "that the vulnerability cannot be exploited on Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2008."    Follow this Microsoft link for updates and solutions: click for advisory.

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