Static Zero

Adding applications to your Facebook can not only compromise the privacy of you, but also your friends.

I’m not an application user because I find that the majority of them are stupid, but now there is another reason that I will not use or support the use of applications: An exploit has been found that compromises the privacy of you (the user who adds the application) and all of your friends on Facebook.

The following link shows a video (approx 2 min) that shows how the BBC created an application that would steal personal information from you and your friends simply by adding this application. Any application like this could steal your name, birthday, contact info, and any personal information that you have stored on Facebook, send it to the apps creator (or other party), and then do the same thing for each of your friends. This information could potentially be used to steal the identity of you or a friend whose personal information was stolen.

Check it out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7376738.stm

It is unknown whether or not this exploit is being used in any applications that you currently have on your profile, and there is no real way for you to tell. Facebook assures us that they have a “team of people” removing apps that violate their terms of use, but with thousands of applications it’s hard to believe they have time to check them all.

Please note, any opinions expressed in this post are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the static-zero staff.