[getPhone]
An SSL bug has recently affected many iOS devices, and although the bug has been patched on, the effects of the problem are far reaching. Here are a couple of things you should know before continuing to use your iPhone, MacBook, or iPad.
A few weeks ago, news came out that there was a potential security flaw that affected any device that ran iOS. The bug that was fixed actually allowed hackers and those spying on a network to capture information that was being sent over the network that’s usually protected by SSL.
SSL’s job is to protect and establish an encrypted link between any said server and your computer. Usually, SSL is used to protect websites that have very private information such as a bank or PayPal, but even websites like Facebook have an SSL connection in certain areas. SSL is usually indicated by a padlock in the URL bar (Chrome and Firefox) or the presence of https:// in the URL, if not both. SSL helps ensure any data that’s travelling the Internet is protected.
Apple’s code that establishes an SSL connection experienced a serious bug. This bug could allow a man-in-the-middle attack to be executed leaving your data visible to the attacker. Individuals and businesses alike could have accidentally exposed their own data as well as client data to anyone who happened to be spying on their network.
Anyone using iOS7, OS X 10.8 (and newer), Apple TV and even iOS6 may have been affected.
In short, the problem was solved with a small patch update, so be sure that all of your Apple devices are updated, otherwise your device may still be at risk. Once you have the update, your browsing sessions should be protected with SSL once more.
