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This was yesterday’s big news and the situation hasn’t changed much today. Microsoft has warned users of a vulnerability in several versions of MS Excel.

The Microsoft advisory goes on to say that this vulnerability allows hackers to create a malicious Excel document, which, upon being opened, can put your computer to risk. The vulnerability enables the running of remote code from your computer and can possibly expose your personal data.

The problem is that, even though Microsoft says that so far they have only witnessed a few targeted attacks, the fact remains that the Windows user base is huge. This vulnerability has the potential to assume huge proportions simply on the basis of that huge user base.

Microsoft also added that the vulnerability exists in Microsoft Office Excel 2003 Service Pack 2, Microsoft Office Excel Viewer 2003, Microsoft Office Excel 2002, Microsoft Office Excel 2000 and the Mac version, Microsoft Excel 2004.

If you have installed Office Service Pack 3 on your computer, then you are safe because that version is not affected. Also not affected are Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Service Pack 1 and Microsoft Excel 2008 for the Mac.

Here’s how one can face the brunt of a hack attack like this: You need to open an email attachment with the malicious excel file. An ingenious hacker may also create a website and exploit the vulnerability in the visitors’ computers.

So far, the only solution that Microsoft has suggested is “update”… leading one to wonder whether the hack attack is really a rather clever marketing ploy. What do you think?

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