[BubbaJudge]

Microsoft Corp. said a flaw in most Windows systems could let a hacker take control of a personal computer or a server.

The flaw is also present in all versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web-browsing software, said Lynn Terwoerds, Microsoft security-program manager. Users of Windows 2000, NT 4.0, 98, 98 SE and Millennium should download a software patch from Microsoft's Web site.

This is the 65th software patch and advisory issued by the world's largest software maker this year amid a campaign to improve its programs' security. Vulnerabilities in Windows and other programs angered customers and led to millions of dollars of damage last year. The flaw doesn't affect users of Windows XP.

"Any Internet Explorer bug is always a bad thing because a lot of people use the program," said Marc Maiffret, co-founder of security-research firm eEye Digital Security. Past flaws in the same components of Windows, Internet Explorer and Web server programs have allowed "lots of servers" to be breached, he said.

The flaw is in the Microsoft Data Access Components, a collection of features that let Windows connect to database software. Anyone running Microsoft's SQL database server software would also have these components, said Terwoerds. She advised that if customers aren't sure they have the flawed program, they should download the software patch anyhow.