In the News
Facebook makes the news for yet another data exposure scandal. In Private messages from 81,000 hacked Facebook accounts were for sale, Makena Kelly at The Verge discusses how downloading a malicious browser extension led to over 80,000 personal messages from Facebook accounts to be sold online for mere cents. Kelly explains that Facebook has taken measures to contact the affected users as well as address the vulnerability that allowed such accounts to be breached.
Our Take
Personal information of all kinds, including information contained in private messages, needs to be securely stored for the age of the internet to continue growing a customer base. Continuous data breaches and security vulnerabilities on highly used platforms does not sit well with consumers. Means of communication through online methods often contain information that no one wants setting sold or exposed to any source outside of the intended recipient. Facebook has had so many issues regarding data storage and security recently that too many consumers, the steps taken to mitigate data exposure may not be strong enough. This places a pressing need for mindful social media and messaging habits on the consumer end as well as stricter data security measures on the company’s part to ensure that private information remains private.
Recommendations
How can you protect your personal information when utilizing online accounts?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Don’t reuse your account passwords, and take advantage of multi-factor authentication where possible
- Refrain from downloading anything unless you can verify it comes from a reputable source