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Salagatle!


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Monday, October 25, 2010

Facebook and security

This post edited on the 26th Oct. 2010 to protect the identity of my example.

OK, so my Facebook page got hacked again. And again, it was mainly to steal my poker chips (2.5m). Not that it's a big deal. However, the fact remains that some little fuck from Indonesia has the capability to hack into my page, and steal my chips. So what's the problem. The problem is that today it's some little fuck stealing poker chips, tomorrow it's some little fuck stealing identities. Facebook do not engage in email discussions. They can / do block you page without telling you why, or taking up a discussion around it. It could be cause you said something like "Fuck FIFA - let them fuck off to that shit hole they call home", and someone doesn't like it, and reports you for bad language, and they block your page. FOREVER!

Zynga Poker, the owners of the poker application which runs on Facebook don't give a fuck either. Try to find an email address for them that you can contact them on> Try and find any email address that you can report the identity of the hacker to. Not even Yahoo cares, and this poes is using a yahoo id. It would be very easy for them to block his access, as well as any further access to their site from his Internet id address. But why should they. It's all about numbers after all.

So I posted on my page:- 'this Facebook page will be shut down in 24 hours. I am not comforted by the fact that Facebook security is so slack my page gets hacked every other week. beware"

And some of the comments made were:-
WTF???

Try using a password that's not "password"....

OK, so I go into the info section of one of my mates, and extract this information:
S D
Basic info   
Gender:    Male
Birthday: 11 March 1965
Children: R S D, M S D, H S D, K-L D
Relationship Status: Married to J L D
Hometown: Krugersdorp, Gauteng
Political Views: Anc three ring circus, zuma ring master, malema the clown
Religious views: Christian - Catholic
Bio: Fit, Fat and Forty!!
Favourite Quotations: Don't mess with uncle buck....cos uncle buck will mess you up...
Education and work
Secondary school: Krugersdorp High School '82
Likes and interests
Activities: Making Trouble
Interests: Diving, Relaxing, Working, Socializing, Networking, Mixing With People
Music: Anything Funky With a Beat, Old and New, Borrowed and Blue
Books: Don't Read, Watch Movies
Movies: Any comedy
Television: CSI, Gordon Ramsay, Cooking, SONS OF ANARCHY
Contact Information: Email    dxxxxsxxxx@txxxali.co.za

At the same time, I now have access to all the information that his kids, and wife, have under their Facebook info pages. For some, even telephone numbers are posted, cellphone, home phone......!

Imagine what a serious hacker, and spammer, can do with the information detailed above?

So my issue is not with the poes that took my poker chips. They cost nothing, and have no monetary value at all. My issue is with Facebook, and Zynga games, in that they make no attempt to close the loopholes that these hackers are using, and have no commitment to their users.

On this basis, I will be shutting down my Facebook page, after deleting as much information as possible. I know that some will always be there, and a clever poes can probably find what I have deleted anyway, but hey, let's make it not worth his while to do so!

To Facebook, and Zynga, at every opportunity I will repost this post to ensure that as many people out there get the message. if it does nothing other than get you to upgrade your security, then it will have been worth while!



Salagatle!

2 comments:

Fishman said...

I have been wary of Facebook from day one. I do not think people realise the havoc that can be caused. I can even track down your house by looking at posted photos and go to google earth and look for the landmarks. You already gave me your home town...

Wreckless Euroafrican said...

Fishamn, you are so right. And I know u can as you proved it to me. The reality is that most (99.999%) of facebook users don't know / agree with my comments. They have no idea of theor exposure. And I'm willing to bet most have never gone into their Privacy / account settings to ensure their privacy

Salagatle!

Oh, and I have as yet not heard back from Zynga poker or facebook about my complaint! No surprises there!!!