BANGALORE: Elite companies like Apple and Google are trying to rectify the decade-old security flaw that might leave millions of users at the mercy of hackers, reports The Indian Express.

The “FREAK attack” that was recently discovered as an encryption security flaw gives hackers the upper hand to exploit Apple and Google device users.

However there has been no trace of exploitation in terms of hacking for which the leading companies are taking to their advantage and will throttle the steam engines to full as they repair the damage.

Researchers point the blame at the grey old governmental policy owing to the national security concerns that had silently faded a decade ago. The policy entailed the U.S. software makers to utilize an inept security in encryption programs that were sold overseas.

“This was a policy decision made 20 years ago and it’s now coming back to bite us,” said Edward Felten, a professor of computer science and public affairs at Princeton.

According to experts at several research organizations, numerous trending websites and a number of Internet browsers in the state of oblivion will continue to use the inefficient software. This makes it elementary for hackers to crack the encryption which was created to thwart digital tapping of sensitive information into a website. Some of the encrypted websites can be victims of exposure including sites managed by American Express, Groupon, Kohl’s, Marriott and a number of government agencies.

Zakir Durumeric, computer scientist at the University of Michigan stated that the liability takes in Apple web browsers and the browser set in the Google’s Android software. However current browsers from Microsoft or Firefox-maker Mozilla and Google’s Chrome are unaffected and undeterred.

Both Apple and Google have released a new software update to amend the “FREAK attack” flaw which hails from an acronym of technical terms. Apple announced to have the amendment available by next week while Google claims to supply an update to device makers and wireless carriers. Moreover several commercial website operators have taken necessary action after being privately notified earlier.

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