Facebook is the world’s number one social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. In September, the website has surpassed the 300 million active user mark and has reported positive cash flow last month.
On Facebook, users can load third-party applications, which are the simple widgets that are adding sparkle to friends' profiles. After the user is allowed to install the widgets, these apps are displayed as small icons on the profile. Players are invited to play, add personality features to the apps or perform a small task on the widgets.
Security Concerns
According to various security experts, the applications of the Facebook had been compromised by malicious hackers many times, however impact had been minimal. To the height of disappointment, the applications integrated in Facebook facilitates the ease of hacking due to some inbuilt malicious codes, cited security experts.
In another research, analysts searched Facebook apps for security vulnerabilities and found that out of top ten applications, six were hacked and around 9700 applications were infected, which affects about 218 million users.
Hacked apps forces Malicious Software to users
The Facebook apps had been hacked by the use of "iframes," which places another HTML document in a frame inside a normal HTML document. It is reported that these iframes can add content from other malicious websites into the Facebook’s applications that directs app users to install software by misguiding them to download a software update. Further, it is found that these iframes had been injected into the apps' code due to infected software on the developers' PCs.
The social website has taken compulsory steps for controlling the situation and contacted the developers to warn about the issue. However, the vulnerability in the Facebook’s applications are rare, but security researcher had made some disturbing findings.
Is Any App Safe?
Recently, Facebook users have discovered that on various quiz apps, they are providing vast amounts of personal information on the networking site. Also, the personal information can be available to other user, who is also playing with you. Further, Facebook does not evaluate the reliability of the developers for any privacy policy. Hence, after seeing the hacked apps, security vulnerabilities, lack of privacy policies and open personal information in quizzes, users will wonder how safe these apps now-a-days are.
What user can do?
Before going for a quiz or sending a virtual gift, user must watch different security issues with these social sites. In 2007, Facebook had adopted open innovation for application developers by releasing Facebook Platform. But, these apps are now putting user’s privacy on the stake. However, a user can actively take some precautions:
1.) Do not publish your personal information on the site.
2.) Use all the privacy settings offered by Facebook.
3.) You must verify a friend's identity before accepting any friend’s request.
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