HEARTBLEED: A Graphic Representation

On December 3rd 1999, Ben Laurie founded OpenSSL, an implementation of Transport Layer Security(TLS).

OpenSSL is a cryptography program designed to encrypt website code, locking out hackers by using algorithms such as CIPHER, and HASH. These algorithms scramble the message (encryption), send through the system to the other user, and the message is unencrypted so the user can read it.

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Here is an example of how encryption and decryption works:

On March 14th of 2012, OpenSSL implemented a new code called the Heartbeat extension, a code designed to test and keep alive secure communication links without the need to renegotiate the connection each time. This extension was supposed to help the system and make encryption and decryption go faster.

For about 13 months, Heartbeat worked without error, helping users with decryption.

But hackers got to work, attempting to alter and crack the system to mess everyone’s lives up and get very, VERY rich.

BUT THEN DISASTER STRUCK! HACKERS FOUND A BUG IN THE SYSTEM AND DECRYPTED EVERYTHING FROMSOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS TO CREDIT CARD NUMBERS! MASSIVE WEBSITES WERE HACKED INCLUDING:

So be sure to CHANGE YOURPASSWORDS!