Attention DU FB users > FB Security Issues > Viruses and Bullying

[patrice]

You need to know this:

I received 2 nasty FB viruses: one through the chat interface, where one of my friends, whose identity was stolen, presented me an infected link. The second one was attached to one of the first of the user-created surveys I ever received. Both fixed now, at some expense to me. I saw another of these fishing attempts again last week. All FB Security settings set to "Friends only". I also have the FB security option for https//....

A few weeks ago I noticed a kind of unpleasant photo in my profile, different from the others, pretty clearly trailer-park trash (REALLY could see the slobby bedroom in the background), menacing body language and facial expression. I thought "Someone's in a bad mood," but didn't think too much else of it for several days.

Meanwhile, a possibly RACIST comment from someone in my large "friend" file attracted my attention, so I went to his page to get to know him better and to decide about that comment, one thing leading to another, I discovered the fellow, John Cupstid of South Carolina, has at least 6 accounts on FB, all on variations of his name, each friended to each of the others, and all with large friend files full mostly of "celebrities" and he is the fellow in that picture in my profile.

I removed and blocked Cupstid.

In looking at his picture, I observed a few hundred "Like" names, several "my-bestest-big-bro" type Replies, and a few dozen names tagged in the photo itself, one of which was I. I used the FB reporting widgets to try to get the photo removed, but after almost 12 hours FB "security" had not responded, so I went to my FB friends for advice.

I posted to my wall pretty much what I just told you and posted a screen shot of all of the names associated with John Cupstid's photo and kind of jokingly said something like, "If anything ever 'happens' to me, you all know where to start." I also told my friends that FB "security" had not responded to my request to have the photo removed. I ran the screen shot of all of those names a few more times, described it, and commented on it, my friends also commented with concern.

The photo then disappeared and my friends and I agreed that it was possible that Cupstid or one of his friends had taken it down. I guess FB security doesn't notify you of their actions, so it could have been them, though my request had been in their cue less than a day and I have no idea what their response rate is on something like this.

Here's the kicker:

Soon after John Cupstid's photo was removed from my profile, another photo, a pornographic one, ostensibly from one of the pre-teens in my friend file was posted to my FB stream.

I have checked and I know exactly where that boy was when all of this went down and he was indeed very far away from any means of posting to FB and with a large church group. I'm very disturbed by the fact that out of a friend file of 500+ (and after someone had been removed AND blocked - after the menacing picture was removed) out of ALL of the others the hacker could have used, someone picked that BOY to threaten at minimum by implication, if not an outright threat.

Just a word of caution to the wise: FB is a great tool , but there are things users should know. I'll be spending a few days doing some housekeeping over there. Anyone with any good tips will be appreciated.

Just as insurance for my little-man friend, I am considering posting that screen shot of names here, the threatening photo I didn't get, wouldn't be much use anyway, and I was so freaked by the pornography that I just X'd it out.

So, first lesson learned: I guess FB security tip #1 is grab those screenshots.

Thanks for reading this. I feel a little better now.

[tridim]

1. I'm worried because I have new family-in-law in Cambodia..

And they routinely post their "kids in the bathtub" type pictures, well actually kids bathing outdoors at the public well. I'm guessing these innocent images could be considered child porn in the western world. Cambodians don't consider nudity taboo like some do here.

Should I be worried?

[patrice]

5. It wasn't a picture of my young-man friend. It was a pornographic picture attached to his stolen

identity and posted to my wall.

And the picture was indeed pornographic, nothing subject to interpretation about it.

[kentauros]

2. I'm glad you were able to take care of things,

and that it's working out.

I'm still not on FB, and reading how you're "spending a few days doing some housekeeping" just for security of your identity there tells me that FB is too flawed to be "a great tool" after all. Good security really shouldn't take more than a few hours, tops. The very idea that I would have to spend several days ensuring the security of my identity there is too daunting to consider ever having a presence on FB.

I'm no expert, but it seems like they've made it so complex, a "do everything" site, that the less than scrupulous are easily taking advantage of that complexity and the subsequent holes in security. If they had just kept it simple, my suspicion is that many of these flaws and holes would never have existed. They can't "dumb it down" now, of course, because people expect it to do everything, so they get all those potentially dangerous flaws with that convenience.

[patrice]

6. I have a huge friend file. I think I will also review all of my appis, which are myriad, since I

have been such an active member of FB for so long.

Fewer friends, fewer appis, fewer profile pics, less time dealing with security issues.

[AsahinaKimi]

3. Another reason not to use FB....

I do Twitter only now.. I refuse to have a FB account anymore.

[qanda]

4. My security tips for Facebook are as follows:

1. Only friend people that you know or have a decent knowledge of the type of person they are (There are some people I have friended from DU and other forums I am a part of)

2. Check and recheck your privacy settings. Facebook has a habit of changing the default privacy settings to the lowest level when they make a change and they do it without warning anyone.

3. Categorize all of your friends into different lists. Similar to Google+ Circles (although not as easily implemented) FB has the ability to create lists for all of your "friends"-- I currently have close to 20 lists. This may take time to do but it is well worth the effort if you want to filter what people are seeing about you.

4. Place your privacy settings on the highest level possible for what you're trying to accomplish. I say this because some people use FB for networking and so there are some things that they want people outside of their "friends" to see. Having your privacy setting set to "Friends Only" is not good enough. You should use the lists you have created to decide who can do or see what on your page. For instance, only my family can view a picture that I'm tagged in and there are certain people who are my "friends" but cannot post on my wall.

5. Install the plug-in for WOT (Web of Trust) which is now integrated with Facebook. It is not 100% fool proof but it is mostly reliable in letting you know about links that you shouldn't click on.

6. Be very careful about what you click on (even if it comes from a trusted friend). If someone sends me a link, I will ask them first if they sent me something before I click on it.

7. Have a secure password and be careful about using Facebook on public computers and networks.

8. Keep your virus protection software up to date. I use Avast and it works very well.

9. Make sure your browser is up to date.

10. Block and report anyone who you feel is abusive, threatening or posting illicit content to you or your feed.

There are many others and I'm sure someone can add to this list. I hope this helps.

[patrice]

7. Thank you very much. I will review these.

:hi: