"Need Help" Threats On Popular Social Networking Sites !!

If you're on Facebook, Twitter, myspace or any other social networking site, you could be the next victim. It will come to you as a friendly package..it starts with a friend updating his or her status and slowly raveled his/her cruel intentions. FBI alerts..!!
That's because more cyberthieves are targeting increasingly popular social networking sites that provide a gold mine of personal information, according to the FBI. Since 2006, nearly 3,200 account hijacking cases have been reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

It starts with a friend updating his or her status or sending you a message with an innocent link or video. Maybe your friend is in distress abroad and needs some help.All you have to do is click.

When the message or link is opened, social network users are lured to fake Web sites that trick them into divulging personal details and passwords. The process, known as a phishing attack or malware, can infiltrate users' accounts without their consent.
Once the account is compromised, the thieves can infiltrate the list of friends or contacts and repeat the attack on subsequent victims. Social networking sites show there is ample opportunity to find more victims; the average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site.

"Security is a constant arms race," said Simon Axten, an associate for privacy and public policy at Facebook. "Malicious actors are constantly attacking the site, and what you see is actually a very small percentage of what's attempted."
As some social networking sites experience monstrous growth, they are becoming a new -- and extremely lucrative -- frontier for cybercrime. Facebook says it has 300 million users, nearly the size of the U.S. population, and it continues to attract users outside the college student niche. From February 2008 to February 2009, Twitter, a micro-blogging site where users post 140-character messages known as tweets, grew 1,382 percent to more than 7 million users.

"They [cybercriminals] are very adept to using social engineering," said Donald DeBold, director of threat research for CA, an Internet security company. "Your friend is in trouble traveling in another country, 'I lost my wallet. I need help.' They exploit the curiosity aspect out of human nature."

A few decades ago, malicious software and viruses were usually the result of a prank, but Internet security experts say today's attacks are profit-driven. A study from the Indiana University in 2005 discovered that phishing attacks on social networks operated with a 70 percent success rate. These users had fallen for the scam, opened the foreign link and released personal information.

Cybercriminals are employing phishing and malware attacks for a number of reasons, including trying to redirect users to sites where profit is fueled by the number of visitors. They also try to elicit private information like passwords and bank account numbers to perform scams.

Early this year, Twitter experienced several phishing attacks in which a Web page that looked identical to the widely recognized light blue Twitter page was a hoax. The company warned users to double-check the URL to ensure they were visiting the correct site.

The Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 72,000 complaints about Internet fraud in 2008 that were referred to law enforcement agencies for further investigation. These cases involved financial losses amounting to $264.6 million, an increase from 2007. Each person lost an average of $931.

"Most of us would want to help a friend in need, but if it's an online friend, and they want you to wire money, you should double-check," FBI spokesman Jason Pack said.

Security experts said it makes sense that cybercriminals are turning to social networking sites. Personal information is abundant on sites like Facebook and MySpace. Each time users give out valuable information like birth dates or addresses, they could be providing hints about their password, security experts say.

The American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concern about the information visible through Facebook quizzes and applications.

"They'll have access to all that information, so they can sell it, they can share it, they can do an awful lot with it," Chris Calabrese, legislative counsel for privacy-related issues with the ACLU, told CNN.com in September.

Many Internet security experts consider the first virus attack on the PC to have occurred in 1986. By the early 1990s, viruses transmitted on floppy disks became ubiquitous. When the World Wide Web became widely available that same decade, viruses, worms and malware became problems in e-mail accounts, frustrating users who clicked on messages thought to be legitimate.

In the new millennium, the most common form of malware attack has become known as drive-by downloads. While surfing on Google or Yahoo, spyware or a computer virus is automatically and invisibly downloaded on a computer, requiring no user interaction for the computer to be infected.

"We are on the verge from shifting from the Web being the No. 1 victim of infecting to social network," said Mikko H. Hypponen, chief of research technology at F-Secure Corp. His company sells anti-virus software and malware protection programs. "It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

Social networks are fighting the aggressive attacks from cybercriminals. Most sites have information pages dedicated to educating users about the risks of Internet scams. Users can become a fan of "Facebook Security" and receive updates on how to protect their accounts. One of the most common pieces of advice given by security experts is to change passwords frequently.

Facebook has also developed complex automated systems that detect compromised accounts. They spot and freeze accounts that are sending an unusually high number of messages to their friends. Company security officials said Facebook is a closed system, which can be helpful in erasing phony messages from all accounts.

At News Corporation's MySpace.com, the company creates blacklists of phony accounts to prevent people from clicking on a faulty link. Hemanshu Nigam, first chief security officer for MySpace, said the firm warns about suspicious links and educates users about the harm phishing and malware attacks can bring.

"We are prepared for them," he said.

Here are few easy steps How to protect yourself against scams:
(Information provided by FBI and Internet security experts)

1. Change your passwords frequently

2. Adjust Web site privacy settings

3. Be selective when adding friends

4. Limit access to your profile to contacts you trust

5. Disable options such as photo sharing

6. Be careful what you click on

7. Familiarize yourself with the security and privacy settings

8. Learn how to report a compromised account

9. Use security software that updates automatically



Source: cnn.com

Is Facebook A Matrimonial Site..?

Kelly Katrina HIldebrandt and Kelly Carl Hildebrandt are now tying the knot, after she found him on Facebook...!!

Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt and Kelly Carl Hildebrandt

Facebook is a social network designed to connect people and link them together whether they be friends, business associates, family or potential couples. It’s an unusual way how this couple met, but we are happy for the newly weds and hopes their Facebook found love lasts a lifetime.

According to the Associated Press, it all started when the 20-year-old Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt was up one night, curious to see if anyone shared her name.

When she found only one match, 24-year-old Kelly Carl Hildebrandt from Lubbock, Texas, she had no idea he would turn out to be her soul mate.

Kelly Carl Hildebrandt found Kelly Katrina to be “pretty cute” after reading the first message she sent him that reportedly read, “Hi. We had the same name. Thought it was cool.”

Although the Kellys were hesitant to date at first concerned they might be related some how, the two kept in touch exchanging emails. Pretty soon they were calling each other daily on the phone talking for hours.

Three months went by, and Kelly Carl went to visit her in Florida. It was around then that Kelly
Carl says he “fell head over heels” for Kelly Katrina, according to the AP.

Neither Kelly ever dreamed their fun online friendship would lead to a wedding, but Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt found her engagement ring buried under the beach in a treasure chest last December! Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt calls it “God’s timing” saying that “He planned it out just perfect.”

Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt told the Associated Press that the other Kelly had all of the “certain qualities that a guy has to have,” including all the ones she was looking for, naturally.

The couple has scheduled an October wedding, where they are expecting around 100 guests to come celebrate their newfound love at South Florida’s Lighthouse Point Yacht & Racquet Club.

Following the wedding, Kelly Katrina plans to continue working toward a degree at a local community college, while he works in financial services. Their home will be in South Florida.

Confusion tends to dog this same-named couple, who had a little bit of trouble already when their travel agent disregarded one of the Kellys ticket, thinking it was a duplicate. The cruise vacation was nearly canceled from the misunderstanding.

Wedding invitations were a bit of a problem as well, as the couple tried to determine how they would establish which Kelly was which. In the end, they decided to include their middle names.

The Hildebrandt couple has ensured everyone that the name Kelly will not be carried down to their future children. Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt rules out the idea saying to the AP that they are
“definitely not going to name [their] kids Kelly.”

Congratulations Kelly Hildebrandt. Both of you!






Source: collegenews

Facebook Hit 300 Million !!

It took Facebook five years to get to 150 million active users, a lightning-fast growth rate by any measure. But like track phenom Usain Bolt, the world's No. 1 social networking website atomized its own speed record this year by going from 150 million users to 300 million users in a little over nine months.

Facebook today announced cracking 300 million users worldwide and becoming "cash-flow positive." The world's largest social network had set a goal of being cash-flow positive sometime in 2010. "I'm pleased to share that we achieved this milestone last quarter. This is important to us because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term," wrote Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a blog post.

Facebook hit 250 million users precisely two months ago, and 200 million users just three months before that.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg also said today that the company had become cash-flow positive ahead of
schedule (he had originally guessed "sometime in 2010") and called the milestone important "because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term."

We're also succeeding at building Facebook in a sustainable way. Earlier this year, we said we expected to be cash flow positive sometime in 2010, and I'm pleased to share that we achieved this milestone last quarter. This is important to us because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term.-Said Zuckerberg

He also said Facebook is in the black as of the last fiscal quarter:Good for them. Too bad for
anyone who was hoping for an IPO.

Earlier this year, Zuckerberg also said the company expects to see 70% year-over-year revenue
growth in 2009. Facebook board member Mark Andreessen recently estimated the company would hit $500 million in revenue this year.

The site continues to expand its audience at a torrid pace, adding 50 million users just since July
and doubling in size since the start of 2009. About 70% of its users are outside the U.S.

CEO Mr.Zuckerberg said in an interview with Bloomberg last month that Facebook hoped to increase its work force by 50 percent by the end of the year, but stressed that "the thing I want to remind people of is we're way closer to the beginning than the end."

Last Chance For Facebook Users - Time To Decide How Online Social Network Handles Their Data

More than 200million users have Facebook accounts

Facebook users have their last chance today to vote on the way the social networking site handles user data.

The site sparked fierce criticism in February when users complained about changes to terms and conditions.

The changes appeared to give Facebook ownership of user data, including pictures, video and profile information - even after users deleted their accounts.

Founder Mark Zuckerberg said the site never intended to give the wrong impression over data ownership and reverted to the previous terms of use.

Launching a vote last week on a new set of changes, Mr Zuckerberg said: 'The Facebook community has grown a lot over the last few years and at 200 million this population would be the fifth largest country in the world - just ahead of Brazil.

'A community that large and engaged needs a more open process and a voice in governance.

'That's why a month ago we announced a more transparent and democratic approach governing the Facebook site.'

The week-long vote, which gives users the choice of continuing with existing terms or opting for a revised set of rights and principles ends today at 7.59pm.

It followed a 30-day comment period which helped to shape the new documents.

The revised principles state: 'People should own their information. They should have the freedom to share it with anyone they want and take it with them anywhere they want, including removing it from the Facebook service.'

The principles also say Facebook should make its 'purpose, plans, policies and operations' publicly available and should apply a 'town hall process of notice and comment and a system of voting' before making changes to its terms.

However, the principles are not legally binding.

They reflect the philosophy and values to which we aspire rather than specific commitments between Facebook and our users,' Facebook stated in response to comments from users.

Users can vote on terms by going to the Facebook Site Governance site at http://apps.facebook.com/fbsitevote.

Just Pay $9K For A Master Degree In Social Media

If you thought online social networking was just an idle pastime, think again.

A university is to offer a Masters degree covering sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo.

Students will learn how to set up blogs and podcasts online and also how to use the sites in communications and marketing.

Birmingham City University is offering a one-year Masters degree in Social Media, which covers sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo

The £4,400 one-year MA in Social Media will start next year at Birmingham City University.

It has been advertised through a makeshift video on the university's website.

Its convenor, Jon Hickman, said he had received a good response from potential students.

He said: 'It's not for freaks or IT geeks. The tools learned on this course will be accessible to many people.

'It will definitely appeal to students looking to go into professions including journalism and PR.'

However, one Birmingham-based student, 20-year-old Jamie Waterman, said: 'It's of no interest to me whatsoever. Virtually all of the content of this course is so basic it can be self-taught.

'In fact most people know all this stuff already. I think it's a complete waste of university resources.'

Source

How Facebook Changed Our Culture

The internet is now the platform on which most of us live our lives, finds Nicholas Blincoe in two histories of the electronic age .

Over the summer of 2007, Facebook exploded across London. By the autumn, one-in-seven Londoners had posted their pictures and profiles online, proving that the web was no longer an arena for geeks and gossip hounds, music buffs, porn-addicts and lonely hearts. Or, at least, it was no longer just for them. It was for everyone. On a mass impulse many of us jumped on-board the electronic merry-go-round. Did we do it in a spirit of adventure or resignation? Was it inevitable or had we gone mad?

Cyburbia by James Harkin is a swift-moving history that provides a concise answer: yes, we are nuts and worse, we can no longer opt out. Click, by the self-proclaimed internet data junkie Bill Tancer, only reinforces this fact: our lives have changed irrevocably.

If one single factor changed the face of the internet, it was broadband. Once the internet was switched on all the time, everyone from toddlers to maiden aunts became intimate with it. We began bidding on eBay, playing contract bridge or World of Warcraft, singing along to CBeebies, sharing photos and rewriting Wikipedia. By this time, the history of computing had already moved through two distinct phases.

In the Eighties, computers were little more than fancy calculators with added typewriter functions. The Nineties brought email and online shopping to create a kind of alternative electronic reality. With broadband, there came a third phase. The world that computing makes possible could no longer be thought of as parallel to the real world: the two had merged. The web is now the platform on which we live our lives. From this point on, the story of computing is no longer the history of a machine. It is the story of a culture – our culture – though it is barely five years old.

Bill Tancer’s job is selling intelligence to businesses. His big claim is that he is not dealing in predictions but arbitrage: he knows when the market has moved before you do because he gets his information at an earlier stage. His company, Hitwise, has access to millions of internet searches. He is the guy to go to if you want to know the number one question in America (“How to tie a tie”; the 51st question in more dapper Britain).

In Click, he describes how he honed his arbitrage skills predicting the winner of the American version of Strictly Come Dancing. Tancer noticed the high number of searches for one of the last remaining dancers and took this as a sign of interest in her dancing skills. But he failed to notice the interest came from young men searching for hot pictures of a female wrestler competitor. Since then, Tancer has learnt to pay closer attention to the trail of clicks that take internet users from one site to another and his arbitrage talents have significantly improved as a result.

The trail of connections is the key feature of the new web. This is because we are no longer consumers of product – browsing sites as we may once have browsed shops or television channels. Many of us actively produce and pass on information, thus letting everyone else know what we find interesting. Search engines such as Google rank sites by popularity and so exponentially increase the responsiveness of the web to new information. Tancer suggests only one per cent of us regularly produce content, but another nine per cent do it irregularly; for instance, older people tend to edit Wikipedia, passing on their knowledge to callow youths.

Harkin’s Cyburbia leaps off from this idea: that the new web is an endlessly responsive source of information. The word for this process is “feedback”, a term invented by the mathematician Norbert Wiener, who developed the idea while attempting to improve air defences during the blitz. Wiener began to think of the theatre of war as a single system – he saw the business of tracking bombers, plotting coordinates, and aiming anti-aircraft guns – all the while, the Luftwaffe would alter their courses in response – as part of the same big picture. Harkin argues that the maths that developed out of Wiener’s insight – known as cybernetics – now underpins the internet.

He also argues that Wiener was responsible for a cultural shift that led his followers to see feedback loops everywhere, and then develop the tools to make the loops tighter and the feedback swifter.

According to Harkin, Wiener’s earliest disciples were hippies of San Francisco and his book tracks their path from kitchen‑table publishing to huge software companies, arguing in the process that it is no accident that San Francisco is the Hollywood of computing.

By charting the story of our new lives from the London blitz to the summer of Facebook, Harkin is inclined to see the web as a kind of warfare, a place where we are twitchily avid for information, devouring it as though our lives depended on it.

If war is his starting point, it is little wonder his conclusion suggests we are all shell shocked. But Cyburbia is a persuasive book, and a brave step in thinking about the mess we may have all got ourselves into.

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