Software developers are racing to patch a recently discovered
vulnerability that allows attackers to recover the plaintext of
authentication cookies and other encrypted data as they travel
over the Internet and other unsecured networks. The discovery is
significant because in many cases it makes it possible for
attackers to completely subvert the protection provided by the
secure sockets layer and transport layer protocols. Together,
SSL, TLS, and a close TLS relative known as Datagram Transport
Layer Security are the sole cryptographic means for websites to
prove their authenticity and to encrypt data as it travels
between end users and Web servers. The so-called "Lucky
Thirteen" attacks devised by computer scientists to exploit the
weaknesses work against virtually all open-source TLS
implementations, and possibly implementations supported by Apple
and Cisco Systems as well. (Microsoft told the researchers it
has determined its software isn't susceptible.) The attacks are
extremely complex, so for the time