IE threat: AVG 8 protects against vulnerability

AVG 8.0 PROTECTS AGAINST DANGEROUS INTERNET EXPLORER VULNERABILITY

AVG’s LinkScanner Technology Keeps Users Safe as Microsoft Determines
How and When to Fix Flaw

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, December 16, 2008 – Security software from
AVG effectively blocks attempts by cyber criminals seeking to capitalize on
the recently discovered vulnerability in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer
web browser. The vulnerability enables unauthorized third parties to take
control of users’ PCs by tricking them into visiting poisoned web pages.

AVG, the global anti-virus and Internet security software provider with
over 80 million users in 167 countries, today assured computer users that
its commercial AVG 8.0 security software products have provided protection
against this vulnerability since December 11th. AVG estimates that its
software has already blocked close to 5,000 attacks against 3,000 users
since Microsoft announced the flaw.

Computer users can immediately safeguard their systems by downloading a
trial version of AVG software at www.avg.com.

“Today, the fastest growing dangers on the Internet are fast-moving,
transient threats that appear on one or more web sites temporarily, from a
few weeks to just a few seconds,” noted J.R. Smith, CEO of AVG
Technologies. “Because they’re so fleeting, these threats are easily
missed by typical built-in browser security measures, and require the
real-time detection capabilities of technology like LinkScanner, which
tracks the spread of specifically these types of threat and blocks them
before they can endanger users’ valuable information.”

According to Roger Thompson, AVG’s Chief Research Officer and original
developer of the LinkScanner technology, the likely perpetrators of this
particular IE vulnerability exploit are the same people who have been
stealing World of Warcraft passwords from users for the past couple of
years.

AVG software provides the most timely, precise and reliable safe searching
and surfing protection by analyzing web pages at the only time it matters
– when the user is about to visit them. AVG offers the security software
industry’s only real-time web exploit detection and prevention, using
proprietary behavioral analysis and other breakthrough technologies to
protect personal information and defend against unwanted intrusions while
users are on the web

About AVG Technologies
AVG is a global security solutions leader protecting more than 80 million
consumers and small business computer users in 167 countries from the
ever-growing incidence of web threats, viruses, spam, cyber-scams and
hackers on the Internet. Headquartered in Amsterdam, AVG has nearly two
decades of experience in combating cyber crime and one of the most advanced
laboratories for detecting, pre-empting and combating Web-borne threats
from around the world. Its free online, downloadable software model allows
entry-level users to gain basic anti-virus protection and then to easily
and inexpensively upgrade to greater levels of safety and defense in both
single and multi-user environments. Nearly 6,000 resellers, partners and
distributors team with AVG globally including Amazon.com, CNET, Cisco,
Ingram Micro, Play.com, Wal-Mart, and Yahoo!. More information is available
at www.avg.com.