“Heartbleed” to give “heart”attack

In case you’ve missed it, there’s a computer virus going around the web causing major security breaches. For the past week, leading web companies have tried to patch their server to make sure that all their users are safe. According to the numbers, Heart-bleed is draining the internet.

Since it was discovered early last week, more than half a million websites have been vulnerable to the bug. If half a million doesn’t put in perspective for you, knowing that the number represents two thirds of internet users should. Security experts are worried because this bug has been circulating online for the past 2 years. Yes two years before it was discover, nobody can estimate the value of the damage.

So what exactly is Heartbleed?
Heartbleed affects the encryption technology designed to protect online accounts for email, instant messaging and e-commerce. In other words, it’s like closing the door to your house and forgetting the key on the lock, even if people might not get inside, there’s a chance somebody could. So if you use any of the service just listed above, this concerns you. Yahoo and its 800 million users worldwide has been a victim. Yahoo’s services includes Tumblr, Flickr to name a few have all been patched since the discovery of the bug.

So far, Google, Facebook, and Yahoo have all taken measures to protect their users. But my advice to you is to change your passwords right now. I know it’s a tedious process but it’s better to be safe than sorry. When creating a password here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Don’t use a single password across several sites.
• If you can’t remember your password, that means it’s a good one.
• If you don’t want to write it down, consider using a password manager to keep track of all the passwords you create.

We are slowly but surely shifting all aspects of our life into the digital realm. In that world, data is king. If a virus or bug succeeds in stealing your data, your digital life can be compromised. Pay attention to these type of news and protect your data at all cost.

Photo Source: www.surfeasy.com

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