As the Heartbleed bug continues to enchant and frustrate tech users who have become fearful of their personal information being stolen, BlackBerry has promised to fix any issues surrounding the problem facing users by April 18. Still, Android users may have to keep waiting as issues surrounding their 4.1.1 operating system is still being threatened by the bug.
Reuters reports that BlackBerry's new update will rectify issues that allowed the Heartbleed bug to enter users' systems back on Dec. 31, 2013, and will make their OS protected from the bug, which has drawn massive media coverage since it was revealed two weeks ago.
It comes as attention has been drawn on the National Security Agency (NSA) and their knowledge of the bug, which Bloomberg news agency broke in an exclusive that the agency knew about it and were exploiting it to track users. The tech world, however, is focusing on helping users rid themselves of the bug in order to be protected against a cyber attack.
Google Product Manager Matthew O'Connor wrote in a blog post that "all Android users are protected" save for the 4.1.1 operating system and that the company was working towards a bug-free operating system through a new update.
He adds that "key Google services including Gmail, YouTube, Wallet, Play, Apps, App Engine, AdWords, DoubleClick, Maps, Maps Engine and Earth" have all been updated and the Heartbleed bug is no longer an issue for users.
Still, Android users - some one-third of all those with Android - are being forced to wait and hope that Google and other companies issue updates that will fix any issues surrounding the bug.
"We will continue working closely with the security research and open source communities, as doing so is one of the best ways to know how to keep our users safe," O'Connor wrote in the post.
The Heartbleed bug has become a major contentious issue for the public, with fears that massive amounts of personal data, including financial information, could have become compromised over the past two years as a result of the bug.
As users watch the rumblings in the tech world over the bug, many are beginning to question the intentions of the companies responsible for protecting users' safety and private information. The bug has potentially compromised thousands, if not millions, of users.
Online, the debate is continuing over the efficacy and speed of companies like Google's response to the bug and users are demanding that fixes be made available to ensure personal data was not stolen and that going forward, it will remain safe from prying eyes.
