Facebook is the new operations center hackers
March 6, 2009 by
Filed under Technology
SAN FRANCISCO, USA – The computer security experts are on guard since Facebook was recently the subject of a series of data theft, while cyber-crooks become sites of socialization into their new operations center.
“There are so many people in social networks to raise interest rates with bad intentions,” said David Perry, an expert in the security company Trend Micro.
Attracted by the amount of information that is exchanged daily on these social networks, crooks and distributors of viruses and Facebook turned its 175 million members in its favorite.
“You can see all the information they publish. One might publish inadvertently personal information of great value,” continued Perry.
Even elements without apparent interest published in the user profile can be very useful resource for cyber-pirates.
For example, the name of a grandparent or pet, shown in the photographs, can help the hacker to answer typical questions necessary to recover the forgotten password of a bank account online.
Hackers can also infect with a virus programs used in these websites, false messages to manipulate users or applications propagated truncated.
Facebook was made famous by authorizing proposals for developers of applications that can be added to the profile. But these applications are checked only when complaints are received.
“This weekend we had a misleading application,” one expert said on Monday, Trend Micro. “It passed the security barrier. I applaud Facebook for having removed in time.”
It seems a variation of another virulent detected last week, said the signing of security.
These two applications, once installed, send messages to friends of the user indicating, for example, who had been accused of violation of the rules of use.
Following the instructions in the message misleading, the latter in turn set up a ‘software’ spy who stole your data and send other messages similar to their own contacts to install the program, and so on.
The latest attacks against Facebook was easier. It was through messages announcing the invitation of a friend to share a video.
Clicking on the link to download a video reader, the user is infected with a ‘worm’ called Koobface computer, logo Facebook.
This virus steals cookies (small files that record information about visitors to a website) on the desktop not only Facebook but half a dozen social networks, which include MySpace, “said Yanez.
“Using cookies hacked, the hacker tries to register with your name, address to your contact list and send messages and comments,” he added.
According to Yanez, the website, as Facebook, allow the integration of applications that were not created by the firm should improve its monitoring process.
Users can protect themselves from such attacks by choosing more carefully their relationships and avoiding clicking on links that lead outside of their community.
Experts also recommend increasing the passwords, so that not a single key opens all doors.
