What is the Heartbleed Bug? It is a vulnerability in the SSL encryption software which allows hackers to retrieve your encrypted information. What that means is the sites you use for email, social networking, online shopping, and even online banking could have been compromised and your information could be in the hands of criminals.
What should I do?
Until websites that you use often with SSL tell you, don't do anything. The bigger sites like Google, Facebook, and your online banking institutions should have updated their SSL certificates by now, so changing your passwords now for larger companies websites should be ok. Some of the smaller sites used for online shopping may not have changed them yet.
Keep in mind, this vulnerability has been going on for the better part of 2 years, so its not going to change anything major right now if you don't update your password.
My advice would be to abstain from use of any site that needs SSL certification until there is documentation stating that the entire bug has been fixed, unless you're not worried about the encrypted data (as on Facebook).
What does SSL look like?
I've attached a picture of what SSL looks like. When you look at your browser bar, for instance with this website, you'll notice that it'll say "www.pinchercreekvoice.com". It does not have SSL.* The picture below is for a Westjet booking page. It has a picture of a lock and starts with "https://". The "S" on the end of https stands for SSL certified.
I've been doing some research, and MOST major sites have been updated, so it would be a good time to update all passwords. To check and see if a particular website has been updated, go to this website and simply type in the website in question:
http://filippo.io/Heartbleed/#
Remember, only sites with the https are the SSL sites. if it has only http or www you should be ok.
Remember, only sites with the https are the SSL sites. if it has only http or www you should be ok.
If something doesn't make sense, or you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment at I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.
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