A digital meltdown looms - be afraid, very afraid

FOR computer security professionals, 2018 started with a bang. A new class of security vulnerability - a variety of flaws that affect almost all major microprocessor chips, and that could enable hackers to steal information from personal computers as well as cloud computing services - was announced on Wednesday. The news prompted a rush of fixes, ruining the holidays of system administrators worldwide.

For an ordinary computer user, there is not much to panic about right now. Just keep your software updated so you receive the fixes. And consider installing an ad-blocker like uBlock Origin to protect against ads that carry malware that could exploit these vulnerabilities. That is about all you can do.

However, as a citizen of a world in which digital technology is increasingly integrated into all objects - not just phones but also cars, baby monitors and so on - it is past time to panic.