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HiroProtag0nist
Honored Contributor
September 28, 2018
Question

Facebook Security Breach: Up to 50 million Users Affcted

Facebook has said “almost 50 million” of its users were left exposed by a security flaw.

The company said attackers were able to exploit a vulnerability in a feature known as “View As” to gain control of people's accounts.

The breach was discovered on Tuesday, Facebook said, and it has informed police.

Users that had potentially been affected were prompted to re-log-in on Friday.

The flaw has been fixed, wrote the firm’s head of security, Guy Rosen.

"Since we’ve only just started our investigation, we have yet to determine whether these accounts were misused or any information accessed. We also don’t know who’s behind these attacks or where they’re based. “

He added: "People’s privacy and security is incredibly important, and we’re sorry this happened."


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-45686890

    16 replies

    HiroProtag0nist
    Honored Contributor
    September 29, 2018


    That's the thing, I don't use social media, these data breaches are everywhere... 72% of all large companies breached in the last 12 months, you can't order anything these days without passing on your email address, home address, inside leg measurement*, Shops, mobile phone companies, broadband companies, subscriptions.... you name it, social media has its own set of problems but your digital self is spread all over the place.

    *for ordering trousers that is




    Neither do i but those who do shouldn't be told "haha your fault for using social media".  

    A social media company should look after customer's data just the same as any other company and should pay in a big way when they fail.

    - that is aimed at anybody saying "tough luck", not you D&D.
    Big PC, all the headsets, now using Quest 3
    Zenbane
    Honored Contributor
    September 29, 2018
    "Looking after a customers data" doesn't magically stop security breeches. These types of breeches happen often, to banks and even governments. The idea is that... if we know that hackers exist that can infiltrate the highest level of security, then yeah: your fault for giving personal info to Social Media.
    Honored Contributor
    September 29, 2018



    Neither do i but those who do shouldn't be told "haha your fault for using social media".  

    A social media company should look after customer's data just the same as any other company and should pay in a big way when they fail.

    - that is aimed at anybody saying "tough luck", not you D&D.


    Agreed, I'm not a fan of saying tough luck to anyone who's been on the wrong side of scummers (henceforth that's what I'm going to call them).

    All we can do is protect ourselves as best we can and hope that the companies that hold our data are doing the same. If it's a resource issue (I.e. cost, which at the end of the day pretty much everything comes down to) but at the same time they're making massive profits, then I'd argue that there's a chance they're not doing everything they can.

    Anyway, I take it seriously.... each password I use for each company is unique, I use a VPN pretty much constantly, my archived data containing useful info about my finances, passwords etc is on an external encrypted drive that only gets plugged in when needed... my camera is turned to the wall unless I need it (which I never have come to think of it), I've always used decent security software rather than rely in Windows... and invariably that's the software that filters scam emails and websites that Windows and BT hasn't.

    …..and I'll never have an always on, always listening personal assistant in my house. How long before we find they've been hacked, to listen out for 16 digit numbers being read out, like when someone's ordering something on the phone along with card security number et al.


    Edit: oh, and my porn drive is encrypted too in case I pop my clogs before I've had a chance to wipe it clean

    13700K, RTX 4070 Ti, Asus ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming, Corsair H150i Capellix, 64GB Corsair Vengence DDR5, Corsair 5000D Airflow, 4TB Samsung 870 , 2TB Samsung 990 Pro x 2, DK2, CV1, Rift-S, Quest, 2, 3, Pro, Windows 11 Pro 24H2 (10.0.26100)
    Honored Contributor
    September 29, 2018

    snowdog said:

    It's those damned Ruskies again!!! lol

    Probably means I'm going to have to change my password from 'password'. Time for something more difficult to crack. Ummmm...password1234. Sorted.

    One of the companies I used to work for 20 years or so ago had 1234 as their alarm code. And I'm not joking.  :o



    Or you could just use snowdog as your password..
    Inspiring
    September 29, 2018
    72% of large companies affected, but you know the only takeaway from this we're going to hear is "we should boycott Facebook!"

    Or maybe if we're lucky, we'll see some clickbait articles about whether hackers can steal our memories through our facebook VR devices ;)
    It's hard being the voice of reason when you're surrounded by unreasonable people.
    Honored Contributor
    September 29, 2018
    and today, the Tory party's official app reveals cabinet ministers private data to anyone who guesses their email address, pretty much becoming non-news!
    13700K, RTX 4070 Ti, Asus ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming, Corsair H150i Capellix, 64GB Corsair Vengence DDR5, Corsair 5000D Airflow, 4TB Samsung 870 , 2TB Samsung 990 Pro x 2, DK2, CV1, Rift-S, Quest, 2, 3, Pro, Windows 11 Pro 24H2 (10.0.26100)