Safety in Social NetworkingSafety in Social Networking

Brandon Cain, Data Security CoordinatorBrandon Cain, Data Security Coordinator

OverviewOverview

Welcome & Introductions What are Social Networking Sites? Popular Trends in Social Networking Social Networking Issues Tips for Social Networking Safety Online Safety Resources Questions & Answers

What are Social Networking What are Social Networking Sites? Sites? Social networking sites, or “friend-of-a-friend” sites: Build upon the concept of traditional social networks Allow you to connect to new people through people you already know Allow you to establish friendships, relationships or business contacts

Although some features of particular sites may vary, most: Allow you to provide information about yourself Offer you a communications mechanism (forums, chat rooms, email,

instant messenger) to connect to others Allow you to search for people based on certain criteria, or will

“introduce” you to new people Have online communities or subgroups based on your particular

interests, or the interests of others

What are Social Networking What are Social Networking Sites? Sites? The main types of social networking sites are those

that contain:

Category divisions (former classmates) A means to connect with other people A recommendation system based on trust

The most widely used sites in North America: Facebook Twitter MySpace LinkedIn YouTube

Other popular sites used globally include: Windows Live Space, Xanga, Friendster, Nexopia, Bebo, Hi5, Multiply, StudioVZ, Tagged, Badoo, Orkut, Mixi, and Skyrock

Popular Trends in Social Popular Trends in Social Networking Networking As the increase in popularity of social networking is on a constant rise, new uses for the technology are constantly being observed.College students Social networking between businesses

Major uses for businesses and social media: To create brand awareness As an online reputation management tool For recruiting To learn about new technologies and competitors As a leading tool to intercept potential prospects

Social networks in the science communities Social networks used by teachers and students as a communication tool

Ning.com is a site that allows you to create your own social networking site to fit your own niche group.

Social Networking IssuesSocial Networking Issues

The most prominent issues surrounding social networking sites are: Privacy

Disclosing too much personal information Data/Identity theft Viruses

Potential for misuse Bullying Falsifying personal information Social engineering

Risks to child safety Sexual predators

Security ImplicationsWhen deciding how much information to reveal on social networking sites, people may not exercise the same amount of caution as they would when meeting someone in person because:

• the Internet provides a sense of anonymity

• the lack of physical interaction provides a false sense of security

• they tailor the information for their friends to read, forgetting that others may see it

• they want to offer insights to impress potential friends or associates

Social Networking IssuesSocial Networking IssuesKoobface: A computer worm that targets users of social networking sites Attempts to gather victim sensitive information: credit card numbers, passwords, etc. Spreads by delivering messages to “friends” of people with innocuous subject headers (e.g., “My friend caught you on camera”) Provides a link to a 3rd party site where victims are prompted to download and update to Adobe Flash Player If downloaded, Koobface commandeers surfing activities directed at infected sites Among the components is a proxy tool that allows attackers to abuse the infected PC*Windows operating systems are currently the only ones affected by these worms

Social Networking IssuesSocial Networking IssuesHoaxes and phishing attacks: Facebook deleting inactive users hoax

A bogus warning states that Facebook is becoming overpopulated, and inactive users will soon be deleted; the message instructs users to copy/paste the message and send it to all of their “friends” in order to prove their active status.

MySpace Photobucket virus warning A bogus message warns that a “virus” is circulating via MySpace that can compromise a user’s Photobucket account, delete account content and post nude images to his/her friends list. This attack provides a link in a bogus comment to a fake Web page designed to mirror the MySpace homepage; users who attempt to login through this bogus page relinquish their legitimate login details to attackers.

Tips for Social Networking Tips for Social Networking SafetySafetyHow can you protect yourself? Limit the amount of personal information you post. Remember that the Internet is a public resource. Be wary of strangers and skeptical of content. Don’t always trust that a message is from who it says it’s from. Use caution when clicking links.

Verify the identity of the site or sender. Use an updated browser.

Protect your PC before you download anything. Update your OS automatically. Use anti-virus and anti-spyware detection software. Use a personal firewall.

Tips for Social Networking Tips for Social Networking SafetySafetyHow can you protect yourself? Evaluate your settings to restrict access. Do not allow social networking sites to scan your email address

book. Directly enter the address of your social networking site into your

browser. Be careful when using extras on your site. Use strong passwords. Check privacy policies and choose carefully. Stay abreast of the latest tricks, scams, and hoaxes.

http://mashable.com/ - The Social Media Guide http://www.hoax-slayer.com/ - debunking email hoaxes and

Internet scams http://garwarner.blogspot.com/ - UABs Gary Warner blogs on

cyber crime

Online Safety ResourcesOnline Safety ResourcesTo learn more about staying safe online, or to report social networking safety issues, visit the following organizations: Federal Trade Commission — www.OnGuardOnline.gov GetNetWise — www.getnetwise.org Internet Keep Safe Coalition — www.iKeepSafe.org i-SAFE — www.i-safe.org National Center for Missing and Exploited Children — www.missingkids.com; www.netsmartz.org National Crime Prevention Council — www.ncpc.org; www.mcgruff.org National Cyber Security Alliance — www.staysafeonline.org Staysafe — www.staysafe.org Wired Safety — www.wiredsafety.org