The hottest topic of the week in the online world is a little thing called Heartbleed. In ordinary terms it is a security problem that affects computers that host information on the Internet. It can impact email, chat and just about anything else that is technically supposed to be secure web traffic.

How big of a problem is it?

This is a pretty big deal. more than 2/3 of the computers (servers) that handle transactions like this are done on “open source” platforms because this greatly reduces cost. The software that Heartbleed targets is called OpenSSL. There is a fix released for this problem, but providers need to act fast to prevent an intrusion. Early reports have indicated that even behemoths like Amazon, Google and Rackspace have had some impact.

How does this impact you?

Credit reports and background checks involve sensitive nonpublic personal information on consumers. Sarma has been investigating all of our related platforms and providers to ensure they are secured. We highly encourage all of our clients to do the same investigation with all your providers. This includes even your most basic tools such as email. The key to security is diligence and being proactive. Everyone must remain on alert and not take the Internet for granted. Each of Sarma’s credit report and background screening services have specific requirements for proper security protocol. Be sure your passwords, browser settings and internal network are secure by following best practices to protect consumer information. We will post more information as it is available.