Heartbleed Security Threat
What is it?
Heartbleed is one the worst security threats in recent memory for
organizations that have trusted OpenSSL to protect their data. The bug could
allow someone to pull sensitive data from a secure web server in a way that
cannot be logged or audited. Netcraft's recent analysis suggests that around 15
percent of secure sites- or approximately a half million- are exposed to the vulnerability.
Read more about The Heartbleed Bug here.
We have your data protected. We have been in contact with our server company and all of our affiliates and it has been determined that no data has been breached.
Who was affected?
The bug has affected many popular websites and services- ones you
might use every day, like Gmail and Facebook- and could have quietly exposed
your sensitive account information (such as passwords and credit card numbers)
over the past two years. Here is a list of some well known accounts that were
affected:
- Facebook
- Instagram
- Pinterest
- Tumblr
- Google
- Yahoo
- Gmail
- Etsy
- GoDaddy
- Netflix
- YouTube
- DropBox
- USAA
- Minecraft
- Flickr
How can I protect myself?
If you have logged into any of the affected sites over the past
two years, your account information could be compromised, allowing
cyber-criminals to steal your credit card information or passwords.
The Bad News: There's not a lot you can do
about it now. It's the responsibility of the Internet companies to update their
servers to deal with Heartbleed, and once they do, you can take action.
The Good News: There isn't any indication
that a hacker caught wind of this; it seems the researchers were the first to
locate the problem.
It
is recommended that you change your passwords for major accounts- email,
banking and social media logins. Make sure to keep an eye on sensitive online
accounts, especially banking and email, for suspicious activity. Also, consider
purchasing identity theft coverage for if a loss occurs. Better safe than
sorry!