NEW YORK — A “major security flaw” has been identified in a piece of networking software that could leave users of about 1,000 apps vulnerable to hacking.
Cybersecurity firm SourceDNA discovered that an oversight in a particular version of the AFNetworking software, which is used by 100,000 apps for iPhones, iPods and iPads, would allow hackers to easily bypass the SSL security certificate intended to protect users while online.
That means, SourceDNA wrote on its blog Monday, “the proverbial coffee shop attacker could easily bypass SSL and see all your app’s user credentials and banking data.”
The flaw doesn’t affect all 100,000 apps that use AFNetworking. SourceDNA figured out that out of 20,000 iOS apps that were updated with potentially vulnerable code, about 1,000 contained the flaw, including apps from major companies, such as Microsoft and Uber.
Many app developers may have already patched the problem. But some have not — at least not yet.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Uber app was still vulnerable, according to SourceDNA, as was OneDrive, one of three Microsoft apps that use AFNetworking, and Yahoo Finance, one of 10 Yahoo apps that use it.
To see if apps you use have the flaw, you can do a search on SourceDNA’s site.
To protect your personal data and credit card information, refrain from using vulnerable apps until they are updated with secure software and consider changing your passwords.