SL announces specifics of hack to steal lindens; doesn't make fix mandatory download

http://status.secondlifegrid.net/

Was that the starting gun I just heard for all of the hackers out there?

No need to be a particularly clever hacker because SL spells out precisely what the bug is! But not to worry, SL is pretty sure no one has used this exploit.

A better question is why they've fixed it in such a strange way. Why is the viewer listening for incoming connections from arbitrary hosts? That's dangerous in its own right.

I don't want the update to be mandatory. Even if I lost all of my L$, it might amount to 10-15 US $. I just don't think that we need someone trying to force protection of a possible threat on us.

Personally, I detest the more recent viewers and have every intention of staying with Nicholaz BE-w and 1.18.5.3 for as long as possible.

Get the word out - make it very much "in your face" type news - and then let people make their own decision.