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elleng

(130,861 posts)
Tue Apr 8, 2014, 06:22 PM Apr 2014

Flaw Found in Key Method for Protecting Data on the Internet.

Source: nyt

The tiny padlock next to web addresses that promised to protect our most sensitive information — passwords, stored files, bank details, even Social Security numbers — is broken.

A flaw has been discovered in one of the Internet’s key encryption methods, potentially forcing a wide swath of websites to swap out the virtual keys that generate private connections between the sites and their customers.

On Tuesday afternoon, many organizations were heeding the warning. Companies like Lastpass, the password manager, and Tumblr, the social network owned by Yahoo, said they had issued fixes and warned users to immediately swap out their usernames and passwords.

The vulnerability involves a serious bug in OpenSSL, the technology that powers encryption for two-thirds of web servers. It was revealed Monday by a team of Finnish security researchers who work for Codenomicon, a security company in Saratoga, Calif., and two security engineers at Google.

Read more: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/08/flaw-found-in-key-method-for-protecting-data-on-the-internet/?hp

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Flaw Found in Key Method for Protecting Data on the Internet. (Original Post) elleng Apr 2014 OP
great phantom power Apr 2014 #1
That is what scared me must about all the password manager apps ... 1StrongBlackMan Apr 2014 #2
What good does changing your password do Ruby the Liberal Apr 2014 #3
Excellent point, Sis. dixiegrrrrl Apr 2014 #4
+1. nt bemildred Apr 2014 #6
If someone can please tell me - we use two separate web hosts for our two business truedelphi Apr 2014 #5
You should call them. bemildred Apr 2014 #7
Thanks bemildred. truedelphi Apr 2014 #8
 

1StrongBlackMan

(31,849 posts)
2. That is what scared me must about all the password manager apps ...
Tue Apr 8, 2014, 06:32 PM
Apr 2014

hack that and hack the world ... at least my little portion of it.

Ruby the Liberal

(26,219 posts)
3. What good does changing your password do
Tue Apr 8, 2014, 07:24 PM
Apr 2014

if the sites you log into haven't updated their SSL? They are still vulnerable and you just opened up your new password to the hole.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
4. Excellent point, Sis.
Tue Apr 8, 2014, 08:01 PM
Apr 2014


fogot to add:

i said fuck it a long time ago.
Anything I order on line is protected by my credit card, they will pay for losses, I won;t, if I report it promptly at next statement.

Let Amazon worry about thier sieve like security.

Harrumph!

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)
5. If someone can please tell me - we use two separate web hosts for our two business
Tue Apr 8, 2014, 09:34 PM
Apr 2014

Sites. Do I need to call both of them to see if they have fixed the flaw on their end?

And am I at risk even if they have? I mean, is it only affecting the websites that host other websites, or does it affect individual websites?

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
7. You should call them.
Tue Apr 8, 2014, 10:33 PM
Apr 2014

I'd call them if I was you. Then I'd do what they tell you to. And not until then, would I do anything that requires encryption (HTTPS:// type things, encrypted email, passwords for accounts you don't want hacked, etc.)

This was coming anyway with the heightened security concerns in the post-Snowden era.

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