A vulnerability in a widely used logging library has become a full-blown security meltdown, affecting digital systems across the internet. Hackers are already attempting to exploit it, but even as fixes emerge, researchers warn that the flaw could have serious repercussions worldwide.
The problem lies in Log4j, a ubiquitous, open source Apache logging framework that developers use to keep a record of activity within an application. Security responders are scrambling to patch the bug, which can be easily exploited to take control of vulnerable systems remotely. At the same time, hackers are actively scanning the internet for affected systems. Some have already developed tools that automatically attempt to exploit the bug, as well as worms that can spread independently from one vulnerable system to another under the right conditions.
Log4j is a Java library; while the programming language is less popular with consumers these days, it's still in very broad use in enterprise systems and web apps. Researchers told WIRED they expect many mainstream services will be affected.
Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.