Security experts warn there is little Internet users can do to protect themselves from the recently uncovered "Heartbleed" Internet threat that exposes data to hackers, at least not until vulnerable websites take steps to secure their communications. The Heartbleed bug in widely used web encryption technology known as OpenSSL affects software on servers that host websites. That software is not used on personal computers or mobile devices, so even though the bug exposes passwords and other data entered on those devices to hackers, it must be fixed by website operators. "There is nothing users can do to fix their computers. They have to rely on the administrators of the websites they use," said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer with security software maker F-Secure of Helsinki, Reuters reported. The bug has potential to affect users of some of the world's biggest websites because OpenSSL is used on about two-thirds of all web servers and has gone unnoticed for about two years. It could lead to the theft of passwords, confidential communications, credit card numbers and other confidential data. -- SPA 21:26 LOCAL TIME 18:26 GMT تغريد
