As the aftershocks are increasing as fallout from the Heartbleed Bug continues, which has left many fearful of putting their personal information online after it was reported that millions of files could have become compromised as a result of the Internet bug. Now, over the past three weeks, who is helping to ensure the safety of the Internet against such bugs has come into question after it was reported only a handful of volunteers help to sift through the World Wide Web on a daily basis.
This has left even more concerns over the need to regulate and watch what is happening online in order to prevent such potentially devastating bugs from hitting major sites.
"The mystery is not that a few overworked volunteers missed this bug; the mystery is why it hasn't happened more often," says Steve Marquess, Open SSL Software Foundation's president, stated in an open letter that was published. The letter delved into the difficulties of tracking similar bugs and the overall watching of security online.
The company reports being strapped for cash, with the only federal funding it has received was a $200,000 contract from the Department of Defense. Marquess says this does little to help volunteers become attracted with working for the Foundation, which has never received more than $1 million in a single calendar year.
Companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Apple and others have moved a past-pace to secure their networks and their websites in order to stave off any potential harm to their client base.
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.
With OpenSSL having only one full-time employee, it makes it incredibly difficult to counter such threats like the Heartbleed Bug. However, many, including Marquess, hope that with the public outcry over online security increasing as a result of the Internet bug, it could be a watershed moment for those interested in working in online security and maintaining a safe browsing experience that is not fraught with fears that personal data will become compromised.
