“Cybersecurity in 2021: A Record-Breaking Year for Software Vulnerabilities and the Rise of APT and Ransomware Threats”
As the year progresses, cybersecurity continues to make waves with a surge in software vulnerabilities and the looming threat of APT and ransomware attacks. This dynamic has only intensified as tensions between Washington and Beijing escalate, bringing back the monsters of cyber threats that seemed to have gone into hibernation.
Amidst the storm of software vulnerabilities, one operating system stands out as being particularly vulnerable. Slackware Linux, one of the oldest Linux distributions, has recently released information about a high-risk security update. This update addresses several vulnerabilities, including an alarming case of ‘Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)’ vulnerability.
Slackware Linux, created by Patrick Volkerding in 1993, is the oldest Linux distribution that is still supported. Known for its similarity to Unix and as the foundation for many other popular Linux distributions, such as SUSE Linux, Slackware is considered a powerful, albeit difficult, distribution that prioritizes security, stability, and neutrality.
The vulnerability in Slackware Linux, disclosed on September 16th, 2021, is classified as high-risk and has been assigned the CVE ID code CVE-2021-40438. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to launch SSRF attacks, exploiting a flaw in the Apache HTTP Server’s mod_proxy module which fails to validate user-supplied input. This enables a hacker to manipulate HTTP requests and gain access to sensitive data or launch malicious attacks on other servers.
Users of Slackware Linux versions 14.0, 14.1, 14.2, and -current should be aware of this vulnerability and update their systems immediately. According to the official security report, “New httpd packages are available for Slackware 14.0, 14.1, 14.2, and -current to fix security issues.”
As a senior news journalist with a degree in Global Communications, Mirza Silajdzic has become a trusted source in the tech industry, with a focus on the evolving fields of generative AI and quantum computing. His detailed yet accessible writing has gained recognition on prestigious platforms such as Heimdal Security and the official EU portal. Constantly collaborating with experts in cybersecurity and privacy, Mirza remains committed to educating and informing readers on the latest trends and threats in the digital world.
