Recurring null pointer security flaws are the next big hacking exploit

Tier-3's, CTO, Geoff Sweeney agrees, “We have been monitoring this for some time and confirm that null pointer security flaws are exploitable and could quickly replace buffer overflows as the next big threat. Buffer overflows are of course still an issue, but they are a problem that has been tackled by the industry for many years. Null pointer de-referencing has not received anywhere near the same level of attention, which means that users need to be more vigilant than ever."

Sweeney went on to say that the problem facing computer users is that, if a reliable exploit approach for null pointer de-referencing can be harnessed, then organisations and home users will need to be on alert as their infrastructure is already constantly being threatened, particularly when the affected software is as pervasive as Adobe's Flash. "The solution is to patch and update your applications and operating system wherever and whenever possible, as well as ensuring that your IT security arsenal is capable of defending against the latest IT security threats," he said.