Spam wave hits social networking site; it’s on top of the situation, says Facebook.
Facebook was hit by a wave of spam appearing on users’ pages, with graphic pictures depicting sex and violence. The attack tricked users all over the world into pasting and executing malicious JavaScript in their browsers’ URL bar, exploiting a vulnerability that caused them to unknowingly share the content with their Facebook friends.
The social networking company was quick to say it was on top of the situation and that its team responded quickly and eliminated most of the spam caused by the attack. Facebook said it was working to improve the systems to better defend against similar attacks, but asked users to remain vigilant in safeguarding their accounts.
Facebook also recommended not copying and pasting unknown codes into the address bar and using up-to-date browsers.
Though media reports and many websites claimed 200,000 users had been spammed in Bangalore, Facebook denied it.
Facebook representative Andrew Noyes said in a statement emailed to Reuters the company did not know who was behind the attack and the motive was not clear.
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Some users complained about obscene images in their newsfeeds. Security experts said offensive pictures had been spread through a virus using fake links. Clicking on bogus newsfeeds allows the images on the users’ timeline on the site.
In its official blog, security solutions company Sophos said, “The content, which includes explicit hardcore porn images, photo-shopped images of celebrities in sexual situations, pictures of extreme violence and even a photograph of an abused dog, have been distributed via the site — seemingly without the knowledge of users.” With nearly 35 million-odd Facebook users in India, it is the most visited site in the country. Vijay Mukhi, an IT security expert, said, “I would not be surprised if such a thing happened on Facebook. Social networking sites approach security with complete disdain.”
Security experts from Websense, too, voiced similar concerns. “Every day we track several attacks on Facebook. And, while we hear of small-scale data loss through social networks every day, results of a recent survey suggested more than 20 per cent of companies had confidential material posted on the social web,” they said.