Andrew Cullen ’14 | Staff Writer

A security hole has recently been discovered in Apple’s iOS mobile operating system and its desktop operating systems. The bug affects encryption for internet browsing on the devices. All users of iPhones and Macs are urged to update to the latest operating system as soon as possible.

The bug in the software affects data sessions that would normally be protected by SSL/TLS, according to the New York Times. SSL/TLS stands for Secure Socket Layer and Transport Layer Security. They are the two things that normally encrypt the data that is being sent to and from a website that a user visits. Websites using SSL/TLS have an “https” instead of an “http” in the URL to signify they are secure.

SSL/TLS works by receiving a “signature verification” from the website the user is visiting, according to gizmodo.com. Normally, it would verify the signature to ensure that the website the user is going to is secure and private. The newly found bug created an error in the code that verifies the website’s signature. Because of the bug, the internet browser is unable to correctly verify the website’s signature, so it accepts any kind of digital signature whether it be real or fake. This makes users open to “man in the middle” attacks.

A man in the middle attack is where a hacker on a shared network intercepts the data being sent from the users device and the website it is on. The hacker is able to see everything the user does on the website, and is capable of recording any of the data sent. SSL/TLS is supposed to make this type of network eavesdropping nearly impossible, but the bug in Apple’s software makes it all too simple for a hacker to hop on a public network and steal information.

SSL/TLS are not only used for websites, though. They are also used for anything that securely exchanges data over the internet. Because of this, several of the apps on iPhones are affected by the bug, including iTunes, Maps, Mail, and any other app that connects the user to a server. Even third-party internet browsers on iOS are affected, so simply using Google Chrome instead of Safari will not solve the problem.

Users of public wifi hotspots are especially vulnerable to exploits of the bug. A hacker could easily snoop on anything users do on the internet. Extremely sensitive information, such as banking information or credit card numbers, could be stolen. It is best to stay on a private, password-protected until your device is updated.

Apple has released a patch for the bug in iOS version 7.0.6. The company has also recently released an update for the Mac operating systems that fixes the bug. All users of these devices should immediately update to the latest version. People who own an iPhone 3gs or older models of the iPod touch can download iOS version 6.1.6 to receive the patch.