Microsoft, Apple Fight Over Safari Security Threat

Microsoft has warned Web surfers about a Safari vulnerability that could put Windows users at risk. The flaw was one of three first found by researcher Nitesh Dhanjani. One of the bugs Dhanjani found was serious enough to be kept secret until a fix is found. However, Apple said it does not consider the problem Microsoft has drawn attention to a security issue.

The software maker has released an advisory for Windows XP and Windows Vista users running Safari, informing them that Microsoft has begun investigating a vulnerability discovered two weeks earlier by Nitesh Dhanjani, a security researcher.

One of three bugs Dhanjani found in connection with Safari, the flaw exposes PC users to a "carpet bomb" attack, allowing potentially malicious files to be downloaded to and run on a PC without the owners' consent.

Apple, according to a post on Dhanjani's blog, does not consider this issue to be "security related" despite evidence that the vulnerability also affects Mac OS X users.

"Please note that we are not treating this as a security issue, but a further measure to raise the bar against unwanted downloads," Apple said in a response quoted on Dhanjani's site.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Microsoft-Apple-Spar-Over-Safari-Security-Threat-63259.html?welcome=1212596447