Originally published on April 9,2014
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A bug was reported in the OpenSSL protocol, which up to two-thirds of websites rely on, late Monday evening that has serious and wide-ranging ramifications, according to a report by CNN.
Internet traffic is typically easy for anyone to view, but using a protocol called SSL, the traffic between servers is encrypted.
The newly discovered bug, dubbed "Heartbleed", however, opens a window of opportunity for a hacker to listen in on the traffic between computers.
Using the bug, a hacker could randomly fish for data in the hopes of finding something valuable.
While this process may seem tedious, hackers have tools at their disposal to sift through all the data files easily.
Google, Microsoft and Apple have patched their systems, while Yahoo is said to be halfway through. There are other major tech companies that are still in the process of patching their systems, however.
OpenSSL 1.0.1g patches the bug, but it will take some time before all IT departments in the world can apply the fix to their systems.
Technology website The Verge reported that most banks, webapps and web hosting companies made the switch immediately and users are unlikely to face any immediate security threats.
The reported bug, however, is nearly 2 years old, and there is no way of telling if it has been exploited before.
Security experts are recommending that netizens change their passwords anyplace where sensitive data is currently stored.
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