OpenSSL
2 articles with this tag
What is OpenSSL? The library that handles HTTPS encryption, and how to keep it safe
OpenSSL = the open-source library that powers HTTPS (TLS/SSL) and crypto. Most people never write it directly — they inherit it via the web server, OS, or language runtime. That's why one bug has an enormous impact (Heartbleed is the classic case). Defense: know which OpenSSL your stack uses, don't run EOL versions, include foundational libraries in CVE monitoring, and patch promptly. Even the certificates this site serves run crypto through an OpenSSL-family implementation underneath.
Heartbleed (CVE-2014-0160) — an OpenSSL bug that leaked server memory
OpenSSL's memory over-read could leak private keys and sessions. The cause: the server trusted a claimed length and read adjacent memory. The lesson: act as if it all leaked (re-issue certificates, rotate all secrets), monitor widely used base libraries, and value memory safety.