LOG4J SOFTWARE FLAW ‘ENDEMIC,' NEW CYBER SAFETY PANEL SAYS

A computer vulnerability discovered last year in a ubiquitous piece of software is an “endemic” problem that will pose security risks for potentially a decade or more, according to a new cybersecurity panel created by President Joe Biden.

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The Cyber Safety Review Board said in a report that while there hasn’t been sign of any major cyber attack due to the Log4j flaw, it will still “be exploited for years to come.”

“Log4j is one of the most serious software vulnerabilities in history,” the board’s chairman, Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary Rob Silvers, told reporters.

The Log4j flaw, made public late last year, lets internet-based attackers easily seize control of everything from industrial control systems to web servers and consumer electronics. The first obvious signs of the flaw’s exploitation appeared in Minecraft, a hugely popular online game owned by Microsoft.

The flaw’s discovery prompted urgent warnings by government officials and massive efforts by cybersecurity professionals to patch vulnerable systems.