One of the most ‘deadly serious’ computer bugs yet seen has been identified by security experts with the potential to compromise in excess of 500m computers, servers and devices.
Known as Shellshock it takes the form of a vulnerability contained within the Apache web server system, Linux software and Apple’s Mac operating system, potentially enabling hackers to remotely take over any system using these products.
Experts are aghast at the scope of the flaw, pointing out that unlike previous bugs which were only useful for obtaining personal details; this defect leaves devices completely exposed to total takeover with ease.
The problem stems from a software component known as Bourne-Again Shell (BASH), a command prompt present in the Unix operating system - upon which later software has been built. A patch has been made available to plug the breach but experts warn it is ‘incomplete’.
Tom Beardsley, a cyber security expert at Rapid7, said: “Using this vulnerability, attackers can potentially take over the operating system, access confidential information, make changes, et cetera.
"Anybody with systems using Bash needs to deploy the patch immediately."
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