Source CBS News · Published · Open the original ↗
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What to know about the PHP bug affecting 70% of world's websites
AI was used to uncover a security weakness that affects most of the world's websites, researchers said. Here's what internet users should know.
Hackers could exploit weaknesses in a widely used programming language for websites, online platforms and other technology services to steal users' information and cause other problems, cybersecurity researchers warn.
The programming language PHP, short for "Personal Home Page," powers up to 70% of the world's websites and web applications, including those used by government agencies, social media platforms such as Facebook and sites including Wikipedia.
The bug, dubbed PHP2Shell, can target two security flaws in PHP, according to Voldemaras Kadys, head of security at Mediatech. Those weaknesses could enable cybercriminals to seize control of unprotected website servers, install malware, pilfer customer data and even take sites down completely.
"The potential impact of these vulnerabilities may be huge, as most websites run on PHP," he said in an email.
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