Slashdot Mirror
Facebook Faces New Accusation of Data Leak Via Quiz App (politico.eu)
A security failure in a popular quiz app on Facebook left millions of people's data exposed for almost two years, a cybersecurity activist revealed Thursday. From a report: The application, called Nametests.com, has run Facebook quizzes for years, but it left unprotected the personal data of Facebook users taking such a quiz on its website, allowing third parties to read and steal the data, the activist said. The leak was discovered by Belgian hacker Inti de Ceukelaire, who published his findings in a blog post. "There was a security leak at one of the most popular quiz apps that was accessible for at least two years," De Ceukelaire told POLITICO. "I can only note that Facebook didn't see this." He added that the data exposed included pictures, status updates, friends lists and more.
One of the basic principles of javascript is that it can be shared with other websites. Since NameTests displayed their user’s personal data in javascript file, virtually any website could access it when they would request it.
Treat it as such.
How to spot a Facebook cancer - find an imbecile taking a selfie, or chatting while walking.
...why on Earth does Facebook pay for content with your data? Because that seems to be their business model. They want games, etc. in order to keep you on their site - and sell ads against you. So far, so good. But why not give 3rd party content providers a cut of the ad revenue? Isn't that what Google does with YouTube?
As it is, Facebook seems to want the content - while hoarding all the ad revenue for itself. Nice business model, if you can manage to blur the lines enough so that your users don't understand just what greedy, unscrupulous shits you are. And 'they all do it' won't cut it. It just serves Facebook's agenda. They don't all do what is being described here. Only Facebook, that we know of, stoops that low.
Posted from my Android phone. Oh, I can change this? There, that's better...
The only people that seem to care about all this facebook privacy stuff is the media. I never hear a facebook user complain. I think they understand that in return for using the platform for free they surrender their data.
Think of it in terms of traditional media.
You tube runs ads against content produced by others, and as such pays them a share. Facebook sells ads to people looking to in turn sell you something. They produce no content for the end user and as such don't get paid.
Yes, Facebook is bad, but this is on some PARTNER web site. Is Facebook (and every other Internet company) supposed to constantly pen test the sites of all their partners? They should probably have contracts in place, but legally the risk lies with Nametests, not Facebook. Facebook can only do so much to enforce the practices on their partners.
Hopefully we've reached a point where anyone old enough to buy tobacco understands that it kills, that it causes lunch cancer, throat cancer, hardens arteries, kills taste buds and is generally not very pleasant. Apparently, it's also highly addictive.
Yet, dangerous as it is - and as widely as that danger is understood - people still smoke.
In a similar way, Facebook is just as harmful. Although the fact that it's now widely understood that it can kill your privacy, a frightening number of users remain in either ignorance or denial of the way that it can harm their lives.
Here are some [known, established examples] of the way that your Facebook profile can harm you:-
- If you apply for a job today, many employers will search your FB profile to get an idea of your "maturity" and behaviours.
- If you apply for health insurance or similar, companies will search your profile for evidence of you smoking, drinking to excess, participating in high-risk sports, etc.
- If you apply for a credit card or loan, banks will search your network of friends for any with bad credit histories, criminal convictions or other "red flags".
- If you "pull a 'sickie'" and call in to work sick, companies will search your social media profiles for activity on those days
- on and on and on...
Here's the bottom line:-
Very few people smoke and experience no ill effects
Most smokers suffer illnesses, compromised immune systems, shortness of breath, lack of fitness and die earlier than non-smokers
Quite a few smokers contract serious illnesses, including cancers, and experience abnormally premature death
Face book is like that:-
Very few Facebook users will be able to access the platform with no ill effects on their lives
Most users will experience ill-effects, although they may not even be aware of it happening. Credit cards might charge a bit more; job applications might be unsuccessful, that sort of thing.
And a smaller but unknown number of Facebook users could experience serious ill-effects from use of the platform, although, I'd concede, these are people who do something a little foolish like post to say they are overseas on holiday and then get back to find their home has been burgled...
Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting that Facebook are directly degrading people's lives. Rather, they are selling access to your data to other companies that can degrade your life. Bottom line?
If you don't want ill-effects, don't use it. Just say no.
I always had them disabled...
I'm confused, some user goes to a website, that website is insecure, and that's somehow Facebook's fault?
Seriously... what idiot is still using Face... (--- checks to make sure old Facebook login doesn't work --- "okay, good, it doesn't,") ... is still using Facebook anymore?
Our reign has gone on long enough. Indeed. Summon the meteors.
Millions of faces ... JUM JUM JUM, jum jum jum.
Peaches for me
Millions of faces
Peaches for free
Millions of faces
Peaches for me
Millions of faces
Peaches for free
LOOKOUT!
Face book is freaking enormous. What the hell do all these people do if not security design and security inspection? Pass a law making them liable. Screw it if it puts them out of bussiness.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.