Flaw in PHP computer language leads to shutdown of websites around world
Precautionary takedowns come as experts say bad actors could exploit vulnerability in language used by 70% of sites
TL;DR
- A critical vulnerability in PHP, used by about 70% of websites, has caused global website outages.
- Governments in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Finland, and France temporarily took down sites.
- US and UK national security agencies issued warnings about the flaw.
- A patch was released by the organization behind PHP, but many websites will require fixing.
- Experts warn that unmaintained websites could remain vulnerable for an extended period, leading to ongoing attacks.
- Potential exploits include direct access to servers, cryptocurrency mining, and launching distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
- The incident highlights issues with internet infrastructure maintenance and the incentive to move fast without proper updates.