How App Developers Exposed 540 Million Facebook User Records on Unsecured Amazon Servers
In latest blow to Facebook, 540 million user records exposed by third-party apps
Facebook is facing another major privacy scandal after it was revealed that the data of up to 540 million users was left publicly accessible on Amazon cloud servers by third-party app developers. The exposed data included passwords, comments, likes, Facebook IDs, and other personal information that could be exploited by hackers or malicious actors.
In latest blow to Facebook, 540 million user records exposed by...
How did the data breach happen?
The data breach was discovered by the cybersecurity firm UpGuard, which found two separate datasets of Facebook user information on unsecured Amazon S3 servers. One dataset belonged to the Mexican media company Cultura Colectiva, which had collected the data from its various Facebook pages. The other dataset was linked to a Facebook app called "At the Pool", which had stored the passwords of 22,000 users along with other sensitive data such as Facebook likes and check-ins.
According to UpGuard, both datasets were available to anyone who had access to the public Amazon servers. It is not clear how long the data was exposed or who may have downloaded it. UpGuard notified Facebook and Amazon about the issue, and the data was eventually removed from the servers.
What does this mean for Facebook users?
This is not the first time that Facebook has been involved in a data breach involving third-party apps. In 2018, the social network faced a global backlash after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm, had harvested the data of millions of users without their consent through a quiz app. Facebook also admitted that an API bug had exposed the private photos of up to 6.8 million users to third-party apps in December 2018.
These incidents have raised serious questions about Facebook's ability to protect its users' data and privacy. Facebook has said that it has tightened its policies and reduced the number of apps that have access to user data. However, this latest breach shows that Facebook still has a lot of work to do to ensure that its users' data is not misused or exposed by third-party developers.
How can users protect their data?
While Facebook has promised to improve its security measures, users should also take some steps to safeguard their data and privacy. Some of these steps include:
Reviewing and deleting any apps that they have given permission to access their Facebook data.
Changing their passwords regularly and using strong and unique passwords for different accounts.
Enabling two-factor authentication for their Facebook account and other online services.
Being careful about what they share on social media and who they share it with.
Checking their privacy settings and adjusting them according to their preferences.
In latest blow to Facebook, 540 million user records exposed by third-party apps is a serious issue that should not be taken lightly. Users should be aware of the risks and take action to protect their data and privacy.
Conclusion
In latest blow to Facebook, 540 million user records exposed by third-party apps is a shocking revelation that shows how vulnerable Facebook users' data and privacy are. Facebook has been repeatedly involved in data breaches and scandals that have eroded its users' trust and confidence. Facebook needs to take more responsibility and accountability for its users' data and privacy, and implement stricter security measures and policies to prevent such incidents from happening again. Users also need to be more vigilant and proactive in protecting their data and privacy, and take advantage of the tools and settings that Facebook provides. Data and privacy are valuable assets that should not be compromised or exposed by anyone. ca3e7ad8fd