back to article 600,000 hacks a day, welcome to Facebook

Every 24 hours 600,000 Facebook accounts are subject to attempted hacking or violation, Facebook has revealed. The Social Network™ disclosed details of hacking activity as it unveiled new measures to protect user’s privacy. “We are adapting and responding to new threats everyday and will continue to roll out new ways to …

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  1. Chris Miller

    According to Bruce Schneier:

    "I think the biggest danger of putting things on Facebook is Facebook. Facebook knows all of your stuff, and they sell it. It's like handing your money to a thief who says 'Nobody else will get your money.' If you want Facebook security, don't be on Facebook."

    http://www.technologyreview.com/printer_friendly_article.aspx?id=39001

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Doesn't Google do the same?

      It's more like: if you want security don't be on the World Wide Web.

      1. Drew V.
        Thumb Down

        Strange

        I must be on a different network than the internet every day then, because I never use Google nor Facebook.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          @Drew V.

          It's very hard to not use Google, even if you don't use them directly.

          You would have to block ads, Javascript (many sites use Google Analytics), +1 buttons and who knows what else from all websites.

          Are you sure you are blocking all that?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Just block google addresses and keep an eye on the javascript. Easy.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              @moiety

              Do you have a list of google addresses handy? They operate on a lot of domains outside *.google.com

              Thanks

  2. FozzyBear
    Trollface

    Interesting

    Considering those numbers I think you have better odds surfing through porn sites on an unprotected windows install using the admin account

    1. Steven Roper

      Porn sites are no more a source of malware than any other site

      The last time I detected a malware infection from a porn site was back in 2002. Porn sites, contrary to the propaganda spewed out by feminists and sex-haters, don't distribute malware any more than any other site. It's the same thing as the copyright lobby claiming pirated movies and music give you malware - it's bullshit designed to discourage people from accessing it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Steven

        " don't distribute malware any more than any other site"

        Completely agree if you mean "any other warez or l33t hacking sites".

        If you mean sites in general such as Disney.com or even The Register I'm sorry but that is false. Especially "free" porn sites, man those pull off some nasty stunts.

      2. Nick Ryan Silver badge

        Is this worth a research grant to check this? All in the interest of science of course...

        1. Scott Broukell
          Coat

          Possibly Nick .....

          .... but would you be able to pull it off.

  3. Big-nosed Pengie
    Headmaster

    "Everyday"?

    I supppose it is.

  4. metaspective
    Paris Hilton

    600,000 a day sounds a lot...

    ...does this count when users forget their passwords etc?

    1. Elmer Phud

      Hacking?

      I wonder if it also includes the practice of 'Fraping' about onece a day I get 'interesting' posts from people who have inadvertantly left themselves signed in and one of thier mates has noticed.

      It seems to be coming even more popular when people are in the pub and go to the bar or for a pee.

      Does, 'I've got a big knob' count as hacking?

      Or, 'I'm dripping wet in anticipation?

      1. LaeMing
        Coat

        Does, 'I've got a big knob' count as hacking?

        Only if you are using it to alter the function of a device away from its intended purpose.

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

  5. theloon
    FAIL

    more than 50% unhappy with FB privacy settings..

    So quit FB!! The dumbness continues.

    1. Charles Manning

      but...

      By the end of next year UN will have FB enshrined as a human right.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Social" media ?

    Could anyone please explain the social part to me ?

    I'm not really into this stuff, but figures like these are still pretty depressing.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Socia Media. n.

      Large group of people stroking off on how interested everyone else is in their lives while using an automated system to - with minimal effort - give the appearance of taking an interest in everyone elses lives.

  7. Tatsky
    Thumb Down

    Attempted hacking does not equal successful hacking

    "Every 24 hours 600,000 Facebook accounts are subject to attempted hacking or violation, Facebook has revealed."

    so 600,000 times per day Facebook detects someone trying to do something malicious. That is not to day that 600,000 times a day an account is hacked.

    So this is pretty much useless information, as this is the stuff they are aware of. The stuff to worry about is the successful attempts which they are not aware of.

    I am not defending Facebook here, but this is like saying "Would be thieves try the handles on 100,000 cars per day". So yeah, hackers may be rattling the handles and testing the locks, but that's not a successful hack in my book.

    and 600,000 a day doesn't sound a lot for a site like facebook. Large sites like that will be a magnet for attempted hacking. A simple dictionary attack could account for a good few 100,000 attempts easily.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Completely agree...

      ... the corporate login I have setup for staff to post on our main FB business page has device security switched on and I get a lot of requests from FB to check a new device, which turns out to be a member of staff that has forgotton the login details or they are logging in from a different PC is that counted as part of the 600,000?

  8. Disgruntled of TW
    Pint

    94.2% of all statistics are lies

    Really - we all rush off and discuss this as if it's reliable and accurate. Without disclosure of the underlying data it's nothing more than propaganda. We should keep it for the pub.

    My coat's next to the log fire and the malt whisky.

  9. steven W. Scott

    Spider Sense,.... tingling......

    Danger of BS very near.....

    When I pop in or out of TOR, and also at times on my mobile, FB creeps out and drops into "suspicious hacking" mode. My guess is +1 to "hack attempts" every time someone's IP addr changes while actively logged in to FB. I could see how that would run up the tab, but it's fairly meaningless.

  10. zen1
    Trollface

    meh...

    Personally, I still think FB and all of it's overlay networks are nothing more than one giant threat vector and should be 'walled' off by the rest of the civilized world. This could have the positive effect of no longer displaying the stupid that makes use of it, from every country that allows FB in. I for one would be particularly happy as it seems a rather disproportionate number of the clueless originate from my homeland (America). And the fact that these twits are allowed to touch a computer at all, let alone be allowed procreate and further pollute the gene pool, makes me weep for the whole of humanity.

    Just think, if we turn off access to the very entity that enables their stupidity, maybe they just might read a book?

    OK, naive, I know

  11. Mike Flugennock

    D'ahh, jeezus, not scribd.com again...

    Is there a link to the infographic (linked in the second paragraph) besides fracking scribd.com? They've always been dog-slow, buried their content in embedded pdf viewers and other needless painintheass, and guess what I found when I tried to just download the damn' thing:

    (quote)

    You Must be Logged in to Download a Document

    Use your Facebook login and see what your friends are reading and sharing.

    Other login options

    Login with Facebook

    Already have a Scribd account?

    (end quote)

    Anyway, enough grouching... but I really frickin' hate scribd.com.

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