A critical security flaw in the programming language PHP, used by nearly 70% of websites worldwide, has prompted urgent warnings from UK cybersecurity chiefs and affected some government services.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has urged organisations that use PHP to address the vulnerability, which was discovered by a researcher who described it as "the most serious issue" he has ever found. The flaw was leaked before a fix could be fully deployed, leading to widespread concern.
Millions of hacking attempts reported
Cybersecurity firm Cloudflare reported seeing "millions" of hacking attempts targeting organisations around the world that use PHP, following the leak of information about the flaw. The company noted that the programming language underpins a significant portion of the internet, making the issue particularly widespread.
The NCSC issued a statement advising organisations on how to respond. It said: "Where immediate remediation is not feasible, organisations should consider taking the system offline until it can be fully mitigated."
Government services affected
Downing Street has shared a statement as some government services have been affected while work is carried out to address the issue. The statement did not specify which services were impacted or how long the disruption might last.
Organisations worldwide are now working to fix the security flaw, with the NCSC's guidance emphasising the importance of prompt action to protect systems from potential exploitation.
