Symantec warns on dangers of social networking applications
The social networking phenomenon is helping to foster a host of new security risks, according to online fraud experts, Symantec.
"Mash ups are a new phenomenon that consist of a range of personal data
gleaned from internet sources; social networks, online maps, shopping
sites and restaurant reviews," said Richard Archdeacon, director of
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The IT firm's spokesperson warned that in the world of web 2.0, web
applications that integrate data from more than one source are creating
potentially harmful hybrid applications from information from Facebook
and other online communities where users post personal data, such as
phone numbers.
Traditionally, mash ups were used as innovative applications for
consumers and enterprises but, today, data from multiple sources can be
used to provide incorrect information and sold on to data companies.
"We are talking about the potential for identity theft on a whole new
level. A criminal would be able to go on to social networks and track
the user's journey on the web, potentially using the knowledge of a
user's favourite football team to crack a password on another
application, or use a list of emails from an online Facebook group to
create a highly targeted spam database," said the spokesman.
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