Log4j Vulnerability: Understand the Dangers It Poses to Your Company

The landscape of cybercrime evolves with each new technological discovery. In 2021, attention turned to the Log4j vulnerability: a recent flaw that allows remote code execution, impacting many applications and systems.

Among the thousands of cyberattacks carried out last year, the Log4j vulnerability stood out for affecting major brands like Apple, Steam, Twitter, and Minecraft.

With explanations that can sometimes seem a bit technical or overly complex, the Log4j vulnerability has been concerning various companies and public institutions due to its dangers.

Continue reading to understand the key characteristics and risks of this new discovery.

What is Log4j? Before understanding the vulnerability, it’s important to know what Log4j is.

This term refers to an open-source library maintained by the Apache Software Foundation.

Log4j is used in Java applications for logging: the process responsible for recording data on information transmissions, interactions, processes, and other actions.

These logs are stored for potential future analysis of digitally performed actions.

The Log4j Vulnerability The Log4j vulnerability occurs when applications are allowed to log a string that forces the system to execute a malicious script.

In other words, this is a vulnerability that enables an unauthenticated attacker to perform a remote attack on the library.

Thus, the attacker gains full control of the location, allowing them to steal data, install malware, and cause other serious damage to the system.

The Dangers of the Log4j Vulnerability The discovery of the Log4j vulnerability was one of the most significant events in the cybersecurity world in 2021.

To give you an idea of the scale of the problem, over 35,000 Java packages, or more than 8% of its main repository, were affected by this vulnerability.

Additionally, as noted earlier, the breach targeted the library used by very popular services, such as Amazon, Tesla, and iCloud.

Its danger comes from the simplicity of exploiting the flaw for full control, which allows for malware installation, data theft, and other cybercrimes.

According to some information security experts, this is considered the most critical vulnerability of our decade. Perhaps the greatest vulnerability of modern computing!

This is a clear sign that the cybersecurity landscape is highly dynamic and requires constant updates, analysis, and research, as risks and cybercrimes continue to evolve and adapt to new technologies.

Should Your Company Worry About the Log4j Vulnerability? Now that you know what the Log4j vulnerability is, you might be wondering, “Should I be concerned about how this type of vulnerability could affect my company?”

This is a complex question due to the impact of the vulnerability and the popularity of Log4j.

After many attempts, the flaw was corrected with the release of Log4j version 2.16.0. In its latest release, version 2.17.0, additional protections were included.

It is worth noting that this type of installation is unlikely to be found or used on personal devices and computers. However, the data of many individuals and businesses are available on services that use Log4j.

In other words, even indirectly, the risk of you or your business being affected by the Log4j vulnerability exists, and it should be identified as soon as possible to prevent more significant issues.

Bug Bounty as a Protection Against Cybersecurity Flaws The care for sensitive data and information is widely discussed in society due to the constant presence of digital resources in people’s and companies' routines.

The General Data Protection Law (GDPR) was introduced to formalize the guarantee that clients’ information is protected by the companies that have access to it.

Investing in cybersecurity and system flaw identification is also necessary to avoid the costs of potential sanctions in case of data breaches, or even issues with ransomware and other cyberattacks.

In this context, Bug Bounty programs are valuable allies for companies that understand the importance of due attention to information security and its resources.

This strategy is very useful for detecting the Log4j vulnerability, as professionals responsible for monitoring your network are constantly testing the functionality of the company’s system or network, allowing them to detect errors quickly.

With the search for flaws and vulnerabilities carried out by so-called hunters, cybersecurity professionals, BugHunt, Brazil's first Bug Bounty platform, helps you discover the dangers your company might be facing. Contact our team to learn how to protect your company from potential cyberattack risks!