Apple, Google, and Mozilla have begun blocking a Kazakhstan-based government-issued root certificate embedded in its websites.
The root certificate attempts to spy on citizens and works to gain access to web browsers via its credentials.
Per The Hacker News:
“The root certificate in question, labeled as ‘trusted certificate’ or ‘national security certificate,’ if installed, allows ISPs to intercept, monitor, and decrypt users’ encrypted HTTPS and TLS connections, helping the government spy on its 18 million people and censor content.
Once installed, the certificate allowed the Kazakh government to decrypt and read anything a user visiting popular sites—Facebook, Twitter, and Google, among others—types or posts, including intercepting their account information and passwords.”
As always, make sure to update your web browsers of choice and we’ll work to keep you informed as to any changes that evolve with this story.
Via The Mac Observer and The Hacker News