If you pay any attention to computer security, you have probably already heard about the WMF Exploit that can affect a fully patched Windows system. It has also been referred to as the 0-day Exploit. Here is a brief explanation of the exploit:

The WMF vulnerability uses images (WMF images) to execute arbitrary code. It will execute just by viewing the image. In most cases, you don’t have click anything. Even images stored on your system may cause the exploit to be triggered if it is indexed by some indexing software. Viewing a directory in Explorer with ‘Icon size’ images will cause the exploit to be triggered as well. Microsoft announced that an official patch will not be available before January 10th 2006 (next regular update cycle).

Yes, you read that correctly. Microsoft will not have an update available to patch this hole until next week sometime. In the mean time, there is really little you can do to protect yourself. Yes, using Firefox does provide some extra bit of security in the fact that it will prompt you before opening the file, rather than trying to open it. However, as soon as an unknowing user views the image, the code is executed.

So, until the official patch comes down from on high to the masses, a few people have gotten together and created a temporary patch that seems to have been thoroughly tested by security sites. Download it if you like, or you can wait.