May 2, 2008

BBC finds facebook flaw

The BBC technology programme Click has uncovered a flaw within the social networking site facebook. They show how by writing a simple a piece of code they could collect data from facebook users and their friends.

The software will hide itself within a file that could be music or a video, then once viewed it will quickly begin to collect the personal data of the viewer, but it does not stop there it will also collect the personal details of the viewers friends and their friends etc.

The BBC tried this and found that the code sent back the personal details of hundred of facebooks users, but although this data is not really enough to steal a persons identity it would give the criminals a good base to work from, as they would have location, name, birth date and other personal details.

Source [BBC News]