UPDATE: Ubisoft has released a statement saying it has pushed out a patch that should fix the issue.

“We have made a forced patch to correct the flaw in the browser plug-in for the Uplay PC application that was brought to our attention earlier today. We recommend that all Uplay users update their Uplay PC application without a Web browser open. This will allow the plug-in to update correctly. An updated version of the Uplay PC installer with the patch also is available from Uplay.com.
“Ubisoft takes security issues very seriously, and we will continue to monitor all reports of vulnerabilities within our software and take swift action to resolve such issues.”

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If you have any of the Assassin’s Creed games installed on your PC — or any others from a list of popular games released by Ubisoft — you may want to uninstall them now that folks have pointed out that browser plugin included in the program could make your computer vulnerable to hackers.

From rockpapershotgun.com:

[W]ith the right piece of code any website can call up a Uplay window and from that might be able to slip a program install or launch of their choice onto your PC. Were someone with malevolent intent to inject the code onto a commonly-visited website, they might be able to gain control over any number of PCs – or install keyloggers, viruses and the like, or just plain old wipe your hard drive. The web security expert we chatted to says this could even occur via an email link, making this exploit a phisher’s dream if it’s as a bad as it sounds.

Some say that the offending plugin can be rendered safe by disabling it in your various web browsers. Others advise that you may want to consider simply uninstalling everything Ubisoft-related until a more definitive solution has been reached.

Here is a (possibly incomplete) list of games believed to be affected by the problem plugin:
Assassin’s Creed II
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy
Assassin’s Creed Revelations
Assassin’s Creed III
Beowulf: The Game
Brothers in Arms: Furious 4
Call of Juarez: The Cartel
Driver: San Francisco
Heroes of Might and Magic VI
Just Dance 3
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Pure Football
R.U.S.E.
Shaun White Skateboarding
Silent Hunter 5: Battle of the Atlantic
The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom
Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved

Thanks to Anti for the tip!

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