A new Internet security flaw has been discovered that could affect the whole web, it is called the Heartbleed Bug, and it affects older versions of some Internet encryption software.
This means that hackers can grab encryption keys and a secure content on a website, which means that they could possibly obtain your personal information.
The Heartbleed Bug is a serious vulnerability in the popular OpenSSL cryptographic software library. This weakness allows stealing the information protected, under normal conditions, by the SSL/TLS encryption used to secure the Internet. SSL/TLS provides communication security and privacy over the Internet for applications such as web, email, instant messaging (IM) and some virtual private networks (VPNs).
The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop on communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.
The Heartbleed Bug was discovered by researchers from security firm Codenomicon, and you can find out more details about the Heartbleed Bug here.
Source Engadget
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