A critical security flaw in the well-known and widely used Log4j software (an open source library developed in Java) has caused all alarms to be raised by cybersecurity experts and large companies are running desperately to fix the problem. .
The vulnerability, reported late last week, is in Java-based software known as Log4j that large organizations use to configure their applications, and presents a number of significant potential risks for much of the community. from Internet.
A bug that compromises the entire Internet
Apple’s cloud computing service, security firm Cloudflare, and one of the world’s most popular video games, Minecraft, are among the many services running Log4j. Some cybersecurity experts have already called the bug one of the most serious flaws to hit the Internet since its popularization, and they fear that a growing number of hackers and hackers are actively trying to exploit the system’s vulnerability to access billions of users. personal data, records and files, both from companies and individuals.
Until a few weeks ago, more than 100 hack attempts were taking place every minute around the world, according to data published by the cybersecurity company Check Point. From the company they assure that it will take years to completely repair this error but, however, hackers and hackers are constantly looking for cracks in cybersecurity, so companies are seriously compromised.
What is Log4j and why is it important?
Log4j is one of the most popular logging libraries used all over the internet, according to cybersecurity experts. Log4j offers software developers a safe (so far) way to create an activity log that will be used for a wide variety of purposes such as troubleshooting, auditing, and data tracking. Because it is open source and free, the library is present in virtually every corner of the Internet .
It is omnipresent. Even those independent developers who don’t use Log4j directly may be running vulnerable code because one of the open source libraries they use most likely depends on Log4j. Companies like Apple, IBM, Oracle, Cisco, Google, and Amazon run the software. It could be present in popular web and applications, and hundreds of millions of devices around the world that access these services could be exposed to the vulnerability.
Is it the work of hackers?
The attackers appear to have had more than a week’s head start in exploiting (and millions of pieces of data) the software before it was made public. Now, with such a high number of hacking attempts every day, some fear the worst is yet to come. The most sophisticated and experienced hackers will find a way to weaponize the vulnerability for maximum profit.
