The ‘most serious’ security breach ever is unfolding right now. Here’s what you need to know.

A newly discovered software vulnerability, the “log4j” bug, poses a significant risk to cybersecurity, and is reaching crisis level across the world. Nearly every major software company is affected, scrambling to understand the extent of the threat and develop patches. The bug affects an extremely common part of most software, and gives hackers a chance to gain control of systems more easily. The problem is extensive and repairs are complex, leaving experts predicting that this could plague the industry for years.