Site administrators were sent scrambling this week when researchers disclosed the potentially catastrophic Heartbleed bug, a coding error that left much of the Internet vulnerable to data theft since March 2012. Here's our look back at Heartbleed coverage — and more.
ICYMI
So Long, XP Support: Even though Microsoft has rolled out newer versions of its Windows operating system since XP first came out 12 years ago, an estimated quarter of PCs are still running the outdated OS. But it's really time to upgrade now. As warned, Microsoft stopped support for the software this week.
Tech Bubble 2.0?: Are we in a bubble? It's the most common cocktail party topic you'll hear among tech observers these days, because 1999 wasn't that long ago. As Steve Henn reports, in the first quarter of this year, Google and Facebook, alone, announced deals worth more than $24 billion to acquire companies that have almost no revenue. New York Magazine offers a comprehensive list of who thinks it's a bubble, who doesn't, and why each side is so certain.
The Big Conversation
Bleeding Data, 64KB At A Time: The possibly devastating Heartbleed bug is patched now, and major sites have secured their encryption of the data you transfer with them, but who knows what went down while OpenSSL, the system that protected your online transactions was vulnerable? It's really hard for any particular user or website to know whether a bad actor has used the vulnerability against them. We recommend practicing good Internet hygiene, no matter what cybersecurity threat is in the news.
The bug, or coding error, was introduced into open-source software. That opened up some questions about the merits of building code out in the open, without many financial or human resources. The Washington Post dived into it.
And the National Security Agency denied a report that it knew about the vulnerability before the public did.
Curiosities
Washington Post: Tweeting This Story Could Lead To Your Divorce
Blame Twitter for your break-up? Researchers at the University of Missouri show a link between heavy Twitter use and more tension in real-life relationships.
The Verge: Facebook's latest government report reveals which countries censor its News Feed
For the first time, the social network released data on how often countries have restricted or removed content from Facebook "on the grounds that it violates local law."
Slate: How to Save Yourself From Infuriating Reply-All Email Chains
The next time you feel your inbox buried by an avalanche of reply-all messages, use this trick.
Washington Post: Serious Reading Takes A Hit From Online Scanning And Skimming
There is a reason you feel like you can't concentrate as well when you open a good old-fashioned book.