Microsoft releases security update

Microsoft was delivering software updates Friday to close a loophole that had allowed hackers to convert popular Web sites into virus transmitters.

Though the updates do not entirely fix the flaw with Microsoft’s nearly ubiquitous Internet Explorer browsers, they change settings in Windows operating systems to make it impossible for hackers to use the flaw to deliver malicious code to users’ computers.

Stephen Toulouse, a security program manager at Microsoft, said the company still was working on a comprehensive patch to close vulnerabilities with Internet Explorer, but the settings change should protect users from the immediate threat.

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