Heartbleed Bug Putting Oklahomans' Online Information At Risk

An Internet bug means your personal and financial information could be hacked, especially if you shop, bank or check your statements online. A cyber-security expert talked about the Heartbleed bug that's already cracked the encryption that keeps two-thirds of the Internet secure.

Normally little padlocks signify that you're secure online, usually on a bank or email website. But this bug breaks that security, meaning hackers can now access your username, password and credit card number.

Amruta Dubewar is online often and keeps her credit card number stored online.

"I put my credit card information in my Gmail account, so if I buy something, they will use my credit card information," Dubewar said.

But now, she's easing off the keyboard after learning she may be putting her information in the hands of hackers.

"Financially it will be a great loss for me," she said.

Website like Yahoo, Google, Amazon and banks are among those vulnerable to the bug.

Computer scientist Mauricio Papa said it's a major bug. He also said the Heartbleed bug is named after an online heartbeat that carries and exchanges your username, password and credit card number.

"If you know how to create that heartbeat, then you can get the server to essentially give you secrets about that communication," Papa said.

That's how the bug is crawling into technology, cracking your codes to get your secrets. Experts are trying to fix it, while hackers are taking advantage.

Papa said until sites confirm they've stopped the bug you should avoid logging in.

There is another concern; this bug has been in operation for two years without any of us knowing. There are sites that provide a test to allow you to see if a website you use is vulnerable to the bug.

Websites are working to stop the bug, but until they do, your information is fair game.