VLC media player has a critical security vulnerability

VLC is one of the most popular cross-platform media players around, thanks in large part to it being completely free and open-source. However, German security agency CERT-Bund has discovered a serious security flaw in VLC, which means you might want to uninstall it until the vulnerability is fixed.

The security firm gave the flaw a base vulnerability score of 9.8 out of 10, which classifies it as "critical". It essentially allows for remote code execution (RCE), where malicious actors can install, modify, or run software without any authorisation. In addition, it can even be used to disclose files on the host system.

Put simply, the flaw could potentially give hackers a way to hijack your PC and view your files.

Most versions of VLC are affected, including the Windows, Linux, and Unix versions. Only the macOS version is safe, which means there are potentially a lot of exposed systems out there.

VideoLAN, who develops VLC, is already working on a patch. Unfortunately, until that's finished, the only way to secure your PC will be to uninstall VLC.

The article was first published in Hardware Zone.