Facebook themselves are contributing to the problem by still requiring Flash to view in-line videos instead of supporting HTML5. I actually have Flash installed (albeit reigned in by ClickToFlash so I decide when it runs) but Facebook sees this as not having it at all and prompts me to download the Flash plugin whenever I click a video.
Facebook scams now spread by dodgy browser plug-ins
Con men have developed a new approach towards spreading scams on Facebook. Instead of using status updates as a lure, the latest generation of Facebook scams attempt to trick marks into installing malicious browser extensions. The plug-ins are supposedly needed to view non-existent video clips supposedly posted by an earlier …
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Friday 23rd December 2011 11:41 GMT Field Marshal Von Krakenfart
Personal security.
I don’t know if it’s fair to blame “dumb” users in this case.
The somewhat flawed windows security model has finally come home to roost, 20 years of windows indoctrination have created a culture where people expect to be able to install what ever you want whenever you want.
The increasing number of formats is also contributing to the problem, when I first started working with computers only .bat, .com and .exe file types represented executable code.
I’ve even had the unfortunate experience on my new windoze 7 laptop, I was looking at elReg page with an embedded youTube movie on it when windoze announced that I needed to install a ‘plugin’ in order view the video, then windoze reported that I didn’t have the authority to install the plugin (Hooray!!!) and then asked would I like to upgrade my level of authority so that I could (Boo!!!!!!).
People don’t go out and leave the keys to the house in the door, they lock their cars when they park then and they don’t write their PINs on the back of credit cards.
People have to start treating their computers with the same level of security that would apply in the rest of their lives.