Internet Explorer users

Microsoft has issued an emergency patch to fix a critical Internet Explorer vulnerability that puts users at risk. At least two million computers have been infected in the past week, most of them in Asia.

The out-of-cycle patch is available through Microsoft's normal update options, including Windows Server Update Services, Microsoft Update, and Windows Update.

The fact that Microsoft broke its normal patch cycle is an indication of the importance of this patch, according to Wolfgang Kandek, CTO of Qualys.

Microsoft Internet Explorer users, beware. There's a security flaw in all versions of the browser that leaves you wide open for attack. At least two million computers have already been infected.

The exploit doesn't require users to click on links or download software from the Internet. Rather, it infects users when they open a Web page. The goal is to steal passwords, according to security experts, gain access to financial data and otherwise steal the victim's identity.

While the world waits to see if Microsoft will take Yahoo up on its invitation to make another acquisition bid, Redmond on Monday announced another search deal with a different rival: Sun Microsystems.

Microsoft is chasing both Google and Yahoo on the search front. According to comScore, Google owned 63 percent of the U.S. Web search market in August. Yahoo grabbed 19.6 percent, leaving Microsoft with a mere 8.3 percent.

The software behemoth has had enough. Microsoft has teamed up with Washington state Attorney General Rob McKenna to stop companies and individuals from fooling consumers.

Researchers from Google, IBM and the Communications Systems Group in Switzerland released a study Monday that shows only 60 percent of Web users are surfing with patched, updated browsers.

They estimated that only 576 million of 1.4 billion Internet users worldwide used the most secure browsers. The data came from Google's server logs between January 2007 and last month.