Acer laptops in ActiveX security scare

[anandk]

A security blogger has raised concerns that Acer laptops are wide open to attack from an ActiveX flaw. Tan Chew Keong has warned that Acer's laptops contain an ActiveX control that could allow a webpage to execute a malicious program.

Closer inspection revealed that the ActiveX control was part of the suite of applications included as standard in Acer notebooks...the problem was also present on newer models such as the Acer Aspire 5600.

*www.itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNID=44121&r=rss

 

[NucleusKore]

Use Open SuSE 10.1 on your Acer Laptop like I do (Acer Aspire 5002 NWLMI) and say goodbye to security scares ! It works everthing out of the box, except the broadcom chipset wifi card which I use with ndiswrapper

 

[Sourabh]

And well it took 8 long years for someone to realize this. My laptop is from Acer and it doesn't have that ActiveX control, nor the LUNCHAPP.OCX file in the system folder. My guess is that LunchApp.APlunch ActiveX control comes from the Acer bundled laptop applications for user programmable keys and other such things. Could be its pre-installed when you get the notebook or it is included in the OEM Windows XP which Acer bundles. No series damage has been caused till date, all the more reason one has got nothing more to worry. IE6 times are long over.

 

[Sourabh]

Found this solution on the Acer UK website. Incidentally, they fixed it within a couple of days of the first report. Good work, must say.

 

[anandk]

^ thanx 4 updating us.