OpenSSL patches a severe but not widespread problem

The OpenSSL project has patched a problem in the cryptographic library but one that likely does not affect many popular applications.
OpenSSL enables SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption. Most websites use it, which is indicated in Web browsers with a padlock symbol.
It's an open-source library that is widely used in applications for secure data transfers. After serious vulnerabilities were found in OpenSSL over the last couple of years, the application has be