Facebook Application Hack

Beware, users with the most glamified profiles on all of Facebook. Yes, you—with the Superlatives, ScrapBox glitter text and Daily Horoscope plastered on your page. Oh and the Truth Box, too. You may be giving out information and access to your profile—and your friends’ pages.

With hundreds of applications developed independently for Facebook, users rush to make their profile more pretty with the games, quizzes and displays. But as creative as the makers of these apps are, many forget or don’t know how to make their final product secure. When you add an application, you must give consent of access to your information to the developer. But it doesn’t mention that your friends could now be at risk. Some add-ons are even vulnerable to the mind of the computer hacker, and you shouldn’t have to become a victim because your best friend is an appaholic.

Facebook’s Terms of Service state that the site is not responsible for the actions of these developers and using these applications are at your own risk. One specific problem found was with the SuperWall. Combine a hacker and a change of coding, and your “friend” could be posting spam and other junk on your profile. So when you’re considering adding Sudoku, think again. Wouldn’t it be so much better to play with the numbers on paper? [News.com]