No matter who you talk to, online privacy is a large concern. For Facebook, these concerns are practically an everyday discussion topic. The discussion of Facebook privacy has reached a fever pitch. The latest reveal of potential abuse is causing significant concern. A hole in the way certain links were coded could have exposed millions of Facebook accounts.
Issues with security being seen
The security firm Symantec is very helpful. It provides software to individuals. A “spare key” flaw was noted in the Facebook programming which Symantec explained in a blog post. By the time Symantec revealed this flaw, Facebook had taken action. This spare key glitch revealed hundreds of thousands of passwords and pieces of personal account details. The key, if properly used, would have allowed advertisers to access accounts, chats and friend details.
How to protect yourself
Though Facebook has corrected the flaw that revealed hundreds of thousands of pieces of personal information, some of that data is still accessible online. As with all private data stored online, the first step to ensuring security is to use appropriate passwords. Numbers and letters are both in passwords and shouldn’t be used for any online accounts you have. You need to also regularly change your passwords to ensure that cached versions of your details that live online do not work indefinitely.
Best way to take care of the flaw as fast as possible
Unlike most computer-security exploits, this particular Facebook breach was found before it had been exploited. Facebook took care of the flaw quickly after being informed. Google and Apple are also both facing strong questions about their security procedures. The phones have operating systems on them that track information. Private information from users is being tracked with them. Personal privacy practices should be followed no matter what. Even in case you are very careful, it could be hard to keep private information safe on the internet.
Citations
Symantec
symantec.com/connect/blogs/facebook-applications-accidentally-leaking-access-third-parties
NPR
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=136206758
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