The Heartbleed Bug is a serious vulnerability in the
popular OpenSSL cryptographic software library. This weakness allows
stealing the information protected, under normal conditions, by the
SSL/TLS encryption used to secure the Internet. SSL/TLS provides
communication security and privacy over the Internet for applications
such as web, email, instant messaging (IM) and some virtual private
networks (VPNs).
The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop on communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.
The Heartbleed bug allows anyone on the Internet to read the memory of the systems protected by the vulnerable versions of the OpenSSL software. This compromises the secret keys used to identify the service providers and to encrypt the traffic, the names and passwords of the users and the actual content. This allows attackers to eavesdrop on communications, steal data directly from the services and users and to impersonate services and users.