Facebook Cybercrimes Getting More Sophisticated - msnbc.com
- Font:
- +
- -
Trust bust
Jelea of BitDefender argues that it's not just users' trust in the platform that puts them at risk, it's their insufficient familiarity with the Facebook's security and privacy settings, as well as the threats inherent to online info sharing.
"Simple yet often disregarded precaution, such as carefully reading the permissions requested by an app, could spare users the effort of cleaning their accounts of automatic scammy posts," Jelea said.
Owens of Trend Micro agrees that Facebook users aren't taking extra precautions to prevent these crimes.
"You assume that your house won't be robbed each time you leave, but you probably still lock the door," Owens said. "When you are home and someone rings the door bell, you let those you know in and not those you dont know. The same rules apply to social networks."
That said, Owens advises Facebook users to connect only with those they know can be trusted, use the strongest privacy settings possible, share only when necessary and keep up-to-date, reputable security software on every device used to access the Internet.
"I don't think it's solely the responsibility of social networks to solve these issues," Owens said. "Parents should become savvy users themselves so they can teach their kids early on how to be safe online."
"Schools should also integrate this into education, especially as technology becomes a greater part of the education system overall," he added.
Reach TechNewsDaily senior writer Samantha Murphy at smurphy@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @SamMurphy_TMN.
- Social Media Statistics: Mind-Boggling Facts About the Medium
- 7 Scams Any Idiot Can Avoid
- 10 Profound Innovations Ahead
2011 TechNewsDaily
Most popular on msnbc.com
Top videos
Facebook crimes ranging from scams to online ...
Facebook Cybercrimes Getting More Sophisticated
Tech and gadgets
Comments
Post a Comment