Heartbleed Aftershock: The New Certificate Threat

Ten days after the Heartbleed bug was first revealed to the public, companies are scrambling to patch servers and update software. But the crisis isn't over.

It's not enough for companies to simply patch the copy of OpenSSL — the software at the root of the Heartbleed bug. Companies must also revoke and reissue digital certificates for their Heartbleed-vulnerable sites. And the clock is ticking.

The DL on digital certificates

A digital certificate — often called an SSL certificate — is most commonly used by a web browser to validate that a web server is secure. The website applies for a certificate with a certification authority (CA) as a way to prove the site is who it says it is. This certificate shows that website X is connected with a specific name, email and DNS address, which helps "prove" its identity. Read more...