[ankush patel]

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Microsoft Corp said it hopes to have a patch ready next week to fix the most recent flaw found in its Windows program -- a flaw that could leave computers vulnerable to a virus.

The software giant said in a statement it had "completed development of a security update to fix the vulnerability" that it discovered last week.

The update is being finalized and the company hopes to release it on January 10.

Microsoft added it has been monitoring any attempts to attack the vulnerability in Windows.

"Although the issue is serious and the attacks are being attempted, Microsoft's intelligence sources indicate that the scope of the attacks is limited," it said.

The flaw in the system lets computers come under attack if users visit harmful Web sites or open e-mail attachments.

Until the patch is released, Microsoft said computer users should be careful not to visit unfamiliar Web sites.

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Ankush...XP has been out for nearly 5 years now. I think I have 100 updates/patches/security fixes installed. I think MS has done very well responding to every vulnerability ASAP, when you consider how complicated the entire OS is. All standard security advice includes: one should never open unexpected email attachments or visit "questionable" websites and click on links carelessly. I don't hate MS, or begrudge them their $$. They aren't perfect, but they are the best we've got. Keep your firewall and AV protection updated and enabled, and "this too shall pass".

Johanna

[Johanna]

Ankush...XP has been out for nearly 5 years now. I think I have 100 updates/patches/security fixes installed. I think MS has done very well responding to every vulnerability ASAP, when you consider how complicated the entire OS is. All standard security advice includes: one should never open unexpected email attachments or visit "questionable" websites and click on links carelessly. I don't hate MS, or begrudge them their $$. They aren't perfect, but they are the best we've got. Keep your firewall and AV protection updated and enabled, and "this too shall pass".

Johanna

[warriorscot]

Yeah XP is the most advanced and easiest to use OS we have available to us as mere mortals at the moment, Johannas correct its been around for a long time and is a large complex beast, and if it wasnt so complex it wouldnt be as easy to use or compatible as it is now.

Vista will be grea though. Some very excellent features alot of the linux OS distros are starting to catch up with XP in terms of ease of use(compatitbility is a way off still) but vista is going to leaps and bounds ahead of anything weve seen from anyone so itll be better.

But there is also the older windows that shouldnt be lumped in with XP all were good OSes and way ahead of the competition.

I begrudge MS some of the money because they do charge alot but they are good at keeping everything up to date and holes are quickly fixed.

Most security flaws arent all the OS, most problems can be traced back to the person behind the keyboard.