Select Page

Data Breach

In the past week, 533 million Facebook profiles’ have reportedly leaked to hacker forums. The data leak included the victim’s Facebook id, name, gender, and even their mobile phone number. Facebook disclosed that the hacker did not penetrate their security, but rather attributed the data leak to web scraping. They predict that the infiltrator must have had a master list of phone numbers. Then, the hacker must have used the contact import feature to show which of those phone numbers linked to user profiles. Finally, the culprit scraped the resulting data and leaked it online.

“Have I been pwned”. Service that checks if your email and Facebook account have been compromised in a data leak. Stafford, UK, April 6, 2021.

Facebook originally intended the contact import feature to help new users find friends from their contact list. They did not expect, however, for malicious actors to use it to gain private information. Fortunately, the feature no longer has the vulnerability, and so infiltrators can no longer use it maliciously.

Social Response

In a statement from Facebook, they claimed, “Scraping data using features meant to help people violates our terms”. The public met this response with criticism towards the tech giant for using scraping as a scapegoat for the leak. It’s also believed that Facebook tried to save face by saying the hacker simply violated terms and conditions. Experts hold Facebook accountable knowing well that it should not expect hackers to comply with terms and services. One such security expert, John Opdenakker, an infosec blogger, responded with this tweet. The tweet mocks Facebook’s response: “Thou shalt not scrape data from Facebook, thou naughty attacker! This post is just pathetic”.

How to stay safe

Despite the large breach, Facebook users can use tools to verify whether their data belonged to the leak. There are two websites out right now that allow users to find out if the data breach has impacted them, Have I been Zucked? and Have I been Pwned.

South Florida Media Comments

guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
2024 March Madness: Midwest Region Contenders

2024 March Madness: Midwest Region Contenders

Analyzing the Midwest Region's Top Seeds As the frenzy of March Madness ensues, basketball enthusiasts around the globe are glued to their screens, eagerly following the drama unfolding in the NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament. In the Midwest Region, four...

2024 March Madness: West Region Contenders

2024 March Madness: West Region Contenders

A Preview of the Top Seeds in the West Region As March Madness fever grips the nation once again, basketball fans are eager to see which teams will emerge victorious in the NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament. Among the top seeds in the West Region, four...

2024 March Madness: South Region Contenders

2024 March Madness: South Region Contenders

The Battle for the South: Predicting the Final Four Contender As the NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament heats up, the South Region emerges as a battleground of powerhouse teams vying for a coveted Final Four spot. Among the top seeds - No. 1 seed Houston, No. 2...

2024 March Madness: East Region Contenders

2024 March Madness: East Region Contenders

Breaking Down the East Region: Predicting the Final Four Contender As March Madness unfolds, the intensity ramps up, and college basketball fans eagerly anticipate which teams will emerge victorious. In the East Region of the 2024 Men's College Basketball Tournament,...

March Madness 2024

March Madness 2024

UConn, Houston, Purdue, and North Carolina Secure No. 1 Seeds As March unfolds, so does the madness that encapsulates the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. In a thrilling turn of events, the nation's top college basketball teams have battled their way through a...