Flaw leaves Linux computers vulnerable
C|Net | at | by Mike
Take that shitty Linux!
A flaw in a software-compression library used in all versions of Linux could leave the lion's share of systems based on the open-source operating system open to attack, said sources in the security community on Monday. Several other operating systems that use open-source components are vulnerable too varying degrees as well.
The software bug--known as a double-free vulnerability--causes key memory-management functions in the zlib compression library to fail, a condition that could allow a smart attacker to compromise computers over the Internet, said Dave Wreski, director for open-source security company Guardian Digital. "It is just a matter of time before an exploit is developed," Wreski said.