Heartbleed is a serious security bug discovered in the popular OpenSSL encryption software. It allows hackers to access sensitive user information transmitted over the internet, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, user credentials and passwords. Over 66% of websites are believed to be affected. The bug has potentially allowed private data to be exposed and intercepted for up to two years. It poses a huge threat as stolen information is untraceable and sites need to patch the vulnerability, revoke compromised keys, and reissue new ones to protect users going forward.