Websites taken down worldwide as critical cyber-security update issued

Governments worldwide have urged websites to address critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language used extensively online. The flaws, discovered by AI, prompted some organizations, including the Finnish government and Edinburgh council, to take their sites offline. The vulnerabilities could allow hackers to execute remote code, posing significant risks. Cyber-security agencies recommend that organizations unable to apply fixes should consider shutting down their systems. The PHP Foundation has released updates for the latest versions, while older versions remain at risk. Experts warn that these vulnerabilities could lead to increased cyber-attacks.