Facebook News

I guess Facebook has introduced new privacy settings. Here are the drawbacks from a security specialist.

* Your Name, Profile Picture, Gender, Current City, Networks, Friend List, and Pages are all available to be viewed by EVERYONE on Facebook! You cannot change these settings at all. Note, there is a way to remove your entire Friends List from your profile but it’s all or nothing! Here is a screen shot of this. You have to set it in your profile page using the “edit” button and check the box.These changes are quite disturbing considering that you used to be able to restrict this type of information. I really believe that Facebook has done this on purpose so *more* information is being shared about you while stating “enhanced” more granular privacy settings. If you have been to one of my talks in the past I always mention that social networks need to find ways to make money. The way they make money is off of the information you share! If you don’t get a choice about the basic information anymore…that’s more money in their pocket at the expense of your privacy.

* What about the security ramifications of this? It opens up a whole new world for cyberstalking, predators and other attackers. If you were someone that didn’t feel comfortable sharing this information in the first place, your choice is gone. Sure, you can lock down your profile so no one can search for you but if you do that…why are you on Facebook to begin with? You *have* to let your real friends search for you at some point!

* By default Facebook “suggests” that you set your status updates to “Everyone”. Here is the thing with status updates….Everyone means everyone on the Internet! This is where new technology like Google RTS comes into play. Imagine how easy it will be to find the latest information on “Tiger Woods” or now everything YOU are saying on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. Enter in some social engineering and things just got easier for attackers looking to use you or your information (which is easy to figure out now that I can see your friends, and things that interest you via the pages your a fan of).

* Lastly, Facebook removed the ability to prevent Facebook applications your friends installed from pulling your “public” information. That option is now gone and applications that your friends install can now view your “public” info. Remember kids, “public” info is now: Your Name, Profile Picture, Gender, Current City, Networks, Friend List, and Pages.

Facebook is the worst. It brings out the petty, the useless, the vain, the needy, and the obsessive in all of us. These are not the good human traits.