On January 4, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a clear warning to companies to remediate any software vulnerabilities associated with the Java-based Log4j software.
A critical security flaw was identified in Log4j, which is embedded in major software applications and is widely used by businesses in all sectors of the economy, this past December. The security flaw potentially allows bad actors to gain unfettered access to affected computer systems and to any sensitive information they contain.
The FTC, which increasingly prioritizes privacy and data security enforcement, stressed that companies have a legal duty to mitigate known software vulnerabilities—including Log4j—that risk harm to consumers and may face legal action from the FTC if they fail to do so.