If you use the Firefox browser you may want to stop what you are doing right now and upgrade your browser before you are affected by its security flaw if you are using anything less than version 39.0.3.
A Russian news site was detected exploiting a serious vulnerability in the Firefox browser. According to a Mozilla security post, the attacker was able to bypass the browser’s origin policy (its front line of security), inject a malicious javascript script and download sensitive local files to a server in the Ukraine.
Mozilla said the attack was “surprisingly developer-focused for an exploit launched a general audience news site,” because it hunted browser and FTP configuration files. It added that the “exploit leaves no trace that it has run on the local machine.”
The organization said the malicious scripts can affect PC and Linux computers, but not Macs. Apple users are still advised to update, though, as hackers could develop a different attack script for OS X. Luckily, the person who spotted the flaw was security researcher Cody Crews, who immediately notified Mozilla. It has patched the flaw with Firefox version 39.0.3, so now would be a good time to get it.
I write like I think—fast, curious, and a little feral. I chase the weird, the witty, and the why-is-this-happening-now. From AI meltdowns to fashion glow-ups, if it makes you raise an eyebrow or rethink your algorithm, I’m probably writing about it. Expect sharp takes, occasional sarcasm, and zero tolerance for boring content.
