On Friday, September 28, 2018, Facebook announced a security vulnerability that allowed hackers to take control of approximately 50 million accounts. The 50 million compromised accounts have been reset, as well as 40 million additional accounts that may have been accessed. That means that 90 million people, or about 4 percent of all users, will need to enter their password the next time they return to Facebook.
The security breach occurred due to a coding weakness in Fakebook’s “View As” feature. Users can click “View As” to see what their profile looks like to the public or other users of the social network. This vulnerability allowed hackers to exploit digital keys known as access tokens, which let people stay logged in without having to enter their password every time they visit the site or app.
Data breaches across all industries continue to rise throughout 2018. Once your personal information is out there and leaked onto the Dark Web, you are forever vulnerable. In fact, nearly one-third (31.7 percent) of breach victims later experience identity theft. The information exposed won’t simply disappear because some time has elapsed.
Social Media | A Gateway to Identity Theft
This marks the latest in a string of Facebook data breach and privacy issues. If your Facebook account was taken over, hackers would have access to your personal data and linked applications. In other words, if they want to commit fraud against you, they can.
Social media has become a major gateway for cybercriminals to steal personal information, leading to identity theft and financial loss. And, Facebook remains the primary platform for most Americans, with about 68 percent of U.S. adults reporting they have social profiles on the site.
Data Breach Resources to Stay Protected
In today’s digital world, EZShield + IdentityForce are committed to providing the education and resources needed for consumers and businesses to protect what matters most. Here are some tools to keep you informed and help you secure your personal information online.
- One Year Later: The Personal & Business Impact of the Equifax Mega Breach (Webinar)
- Bringing Social Media Identity Monitoring into the IdentityForce Family
- Password Strength Test
- Data Breach News Summary (Table)
- 8 Tips for 2018 Data Breach Victims (Infographic)
- 7 Tips for Protecting Your Identity (Printable PDF)
- Risky Business: Data Breach Impact on Your Organization & Employees (Whitepaper)
