Microsoft has said that a security bug in Internet Explorer has created problems to its users, especially those in Germany, has been fixed.
Hackers used a loophole in the security of Internet Explorer to attack the users by infecting their PCs when they visited malicious websites and took control of the victims' PCs.
The attacks took a serious turn after the German government had asked people to stop using Internet Explorer.
"A fast spreading of the code has to be feared," the German government said in its statement.
Microsoft will offer a temporary patch for the issue. A permanent fix to the problem will only be released Friday. Microsoft Windows users will get this update for download if the Windows Update is set in automatic mode, Reuters has reported.
However, Microsoft said that "the vast majority" of users were not affected by the security bug.
The bug in Internet Explorer was identified by a Luxembourg-based security researcher who discovered it as his PC was infected by a malicious software called Poison Ivy last Friday. The bug seems to have been targeted defence contractors and not the public, Reuters has reported.
Internet Explorer was once the leader among browsers and it has been losing its market grip to Google's Chrome, Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox.
Internet Explorer comes second to Chrome, which is the most widely used browser. According to StatCounter, Chrome has 34 percent of market share while Internet Explorer stands at 33 percent.
Google's Chrome is its biggest rival. Chrome is advertised as faster and safer Web browser compared to IE.
A new version of Internet Explorer will be launched Oct. 26 along with Windows 8.
