Security experts are warning of a newly discovered vulnerability in the architecture that supports the entire internet. The Bash Bug poses a serious threat to network infrastructure and attacks through the hole could lead to an internet meltdown.
Also known as a “Shellshock,” the flaw is in a commonly used piece of system software called Bash–created in 1989 and is found on a variety of Unix-based systems. Bash is a command shell, and finding and exploiting a security hole in Bash means hackers can send commands to computers or any piece of equipment running the system.
Mac and Andriod phone users should be particularly vigilant. The Bash Bug makes it easy for attackers to access and control those devices connecting through public WiFi networks. A perhaps bigger fear is that attackers could compromise routers and computer network equipment to consume bandwidth and slow the internet to a halt.