Heartbleed is a very dangerous OpenSSL vulnerability that we knew would be around for a while. There is another Heartbleed problem that was recently discovered. It allows attackers to actually change the content s of emails. Top VPN iVPN shares ome tips here on staying safe from the effect of the Heartbleed bug.
Don’t be a Heartbleed VIctim
First off, iVPN suggests being very careful about the websites and Internet enabled software that people use. Old versions of OpenSSL are vulnerable to the Heartbleed bug and can cause massive invasion of privacy and huge security breaches. iVPN reminds us all that OpenSSL is used by most email and chat providers, and also VPNs. It secures the majority of Internet communications around the world. So if the services that you use are not updating their systems, you need to stop using them to stay safe.
Passwords, credit card details, private messages, stored files – almost anything you use online or can access on the device you use to go online with is potentially vulnerable to Heartbleed. If you are not sure about what services have been updated to prevent Heartbleed exploits, even if those services have assured you that they are safe, use a VPN. A VPN is a very versatile tool anyway, so it is also a very good tool to have in general for online privacy and security.
Most people rush to change their passwords when they hear of a breach. This is generally a good idea, but Heartbleed is a different story. After Heartbleed, users were warned to wait until the services that they used had updated their systems. Otherwise, attackers who have exploited Heartbleed would immediately get the new passwords even if they had not caught the old ones. iVPN again reminds users to check to make sure that these services have updated to versions of OpenSSL that are not vulnerable before they change their passwords. This should be evident in SSL certificates that are dated no later than April 8th of this year. And people should always use secure passwords. There are many free resources online that help people choose secure but easy to remember passwords.