In 2010 more people than ever will be spending time online.
Social networks like Facebook are growing like never before. The Swedish teachers union has suggested that “Social Network Knowledge” should be a school subject. The potential security risk associated with social networks is an even more important topic.
Social networks being targeted by hackers was already happening in 2009 and it will certainly grow even more in 2010. More and more social networks allow 3rd party applications to run on their platforms. This “openness” also creates a potential opportunities to distribute malware, which has already been illustrated by several Facebook account hackings in 2009.
Some applications in social networks might not harm your computer, but still be very annoying. A good example are the games in social networks. They attract people by o. Even though it is very voluntary, it could still become very addictive for some users.
Social networks’ use as distribution points for malware, spam and other rogue software are all examples of security risks associated with social networks.
All sorts of social networks are likely to be affected by malware and spam in 2010. Instant messaging (IM:ing) can also be seen as a form of social network and has also been increasingly plagued by unsolicited contacts made to existing users. This is called SPIMMING for short.
Malware in social networks can be more than an annoyance, with more and more people posting sensitive information online this data can be harvested, sold or abused.
In short, the growing use of online social networks will increase the risk of being infected or at least affected by malware and SPAM. The staff at digital defender recommends all users of social networks never to open emails by unknown sender and to very cautious with which applications you sign up to. Remember to never ever give away your password.
Installing a good antivirus and a good firewall will also help to keep your computer safe. If you need more ideas or recommendations for security software please contact us at info@digital-defender.com or go to our website http://www.digital-defender.com to read more.
Stay safe online in 2010
Best Regards,
Kerry Reid
digital defender
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