Microsoft is investigating reports of a vulnerability in a Windows ActiveX control that could allow an attacker to remotely take control of a computer, according to an advisory issued Friday. One security company rated the vulnerability critical, while Microsoft said it allows only limited attacks.The vulnerability, which is not patched yet, affects certain versions of Windows running Microsoft XML Core Services 4.0, a set of tools that allows programmers to use scripting languages to access XML documents.The affected versions are Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.A user would have to visit a specially crafted website that triggers the XMLHTTP 4.0 ActiveX control, Microsoft said. The attacker would then have the same rights on the machines as the current logged-on user, and could gain complete control of the machine. Users can protect themselves by disabling the affected ActiveX control, although the workaround could stop some websites from functioning correctly. Microsoft describes how to disable the control in an advisory.The SANS Institute classified the flaw as a zero-day vulnerability, meaning the problem is public but not patched. The French Security Incident Response Team called it “critical.” Microsoft issues patches for its software on the second Tuesday of the month. The speed at which a patch is issued depends on the risk of the vulnerability, and the company has issues patches out of cycle for widely exploited vulnerabilities.-Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service (London Bureau)Related Links: Vulnerability Found in Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Microsoft Windows Mobile Security Blasted by Analyst Microsoft IE7 Browser Still Contains Old FlawThis article is posted on our Microsoft Informer page. For more news on the Redmond, Wash.-based powerhouse, keep checking in.Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost Sponsored by SAP When natural disasters strike Japan, Ōita University’s EDiSON is ready to act With the technology and assistance of SAP and Zynas Corporation, Ōita University built an emergency-response collaboration tool named EDiSON that helps the Japanese island of Kyushu detect and mitigate natural disasters. By Michael Kure, SAP Contributor Dec 07, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by BMC BMC on BMC: How the company enables IT observability with BMC Helix and AIOps The goals: transform an ocean of data and ultimately provide a stellar user experience and maximum value. By Jeff Miller Dec 07, 2023 3 mins IT Leadership brandpost Sponsored by BMC The data deluge: The need for IT Operations observability and strategies for achieving it BMC Helix brings thousands of data points together to create a holistic view of the health of a service. By Jeff Miller Dec 07, 2023 4 mins IT Leadership how-to How to create an effective business continuity plan A business continuity plan outlines procedures and instructions an organization must follow in the face of disaster, whether fire, flood, or cyberattack. Here’s how to create a plan that gives your business the best chance of surviving such an By Mary K. Pratt, Ed Tittel, Kim Lindros Dec 07, 2023 11 mins Small and Medium Business Small and Medium Business Small and Medium Business Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe