The summary of a new report into online security, the full version of which will be available tomorrow, suggest that social networks are less safe than a year ago.
However, I am wondering if the fact is that the collection of its users are just more careless / stupid.
Security firm Sophos reckons there has been a 70% rise in attacks on social network sites, while nearly three out of four companies think workers’ behaviour online puts their business at risk.
Three out of five users say they have been spammed via social networking sites, while one in three says they’ve been sent malware: both up around 70% on last year.
Worrying statistics, or proof that the increasing popularity of social networks with the less computer-literate is the reason they seem less secure?
Given that many novice computer users don’t know what firewalls and anti-virus software are, far less actually use them or practice personal safety online, it’s hardly surprising that threats seem to have increased.
It’s true that social network spam is particularly insipid, because it purports to come from someone you know. Perhaps that’s a good reason to only befriend people you trust — I know the Facebook spam I receive would never have genuinely come from those whose accounts have been compromised because it’s not in their character to try to sell me Viagra. Really.
Should social networks be doing more to educate users on what are real threats and what are fake? The recent “unnamed app” scare, for example, has in fact been hijacked by criminals, preying on those worried about their online security.
Maybe people shouldn’t be allowed to go online without knowing at least the basics of Internet safety. Yeah, OK, that’s never going to happen, but it’s a thought.
What do you think?
For the most part, I think the social networks are doing plenty. I think users have to practice some form of self control with what they do and where they do it. There’s no accounting for bad judgement.
to get coins for facebook apps you can click free polls etc., but 2 of those links were thankfully blocked by my antivirus(both malware sites), but i guess fb itself has no control what content is offered that way. so at least an antivirus should be mandatory on any system.
Hey, I’ve always thought that Facebook is safer than MySpace. But I guess I still needed to see the other side of the coin. I’ve never really considered that MySpace does, in fact, seldom let others see/use the actual names of its users whereas in Facebook, important info like the first and last name and the school and grade I attend are indeed displayed so much in the open. For now, my answer to the question would be a YES!