London, July 9 : Computer giants like Microsoft, Sun, and Cisco are distributing new software to tackle a major security glitch in the internet addressing system.

The flaw was such that it could enable conmen to redirected internet users to fake webpages, even if they typed the correct address into a browser, and thereby trick them into disclosing their credit card details or other personal data.

Security expert Dan Kaminsky, who accidentally discovered the error in the Domain Name System (DNS) about six months ago, said that the case was unprecedented.

"People should be concerned but they should not be panicking," the BBC quoted him as saying. 

Kaminsky said that he held talks with Microsoft, Sun and Cisco in March, and has been part of a team engaged in secret research since then.

According to him, the security patch developed by the research team has now been released simultaneously for all computer platforms. 

Technical details are being kept secret for another month to give companies a chance to update their computers, before hackers try to unpick the patch. 

Personal computers should pick up the patch through automated updates. (ANI)