Heartbleed Bug Vulnerability Warning-Truth!
Summary of eRumor:
Warnings of issues with security vulnerability while surfing the Internet because bug called “Heartbleed” or “Heart Bleed.”
The Truth:
The warning is real, according to an April 9, 2014, article by Washington Post that said, “[experts] have discovered a major flaw in the security software used by millions of [websites].” The vulnerability may expose users’ names, log ins and passwords. Most concerning to computer users is that those who know how to exploit this weakness may be able to use it to access personal communications and data over the Internet.
The article said this may “not mean your information has necessarily been stolen. It may mean that it’s been vulnerable to theft and may remain vulnerable until a fix is applied.”
Graphic found posted in the Washington Post article.
Some experts advise that computer users change their passwords on a regular basis and avoid simple sequences, like “1234.”
At present, there is nothing that can be done by computer users to protect themselves. The problem is within the website servers, and a software patch has been made available to server operators, which is now being implemented.
Posted 04/09/14