FB users urged to check security
MCMC in touch with tech giant to assess number of users affected by hacking
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Facebook users are advised to check their security and login settings to see whether their accounts have been improperly accessed following reports of a massive data hack involving the social media giant.
This page will show when, where and what device was used to access an FB account.
In a statement, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said users could report any suspicious activity to the regulatory body at 016220 6262 or via email at aduan@pdpd.gov.my.
The MCMC also said that it was in touch with Facebook to ascertain how many Malaysian users were affected by the hack.
Facebook vicepresident of product management Guy Rosen posted on FB’s official blog that the social media platform discovered a security issue on Sept 25 that exposed the accounts of almost 50 million but it has since fixed the vulnerability.
Facebook said attackers had exploited a vulnerability in the social media network’s code for “view as” which allows users to see how their own profile looks to everyone else.
This granted them “access tokens” which they used to log in to other people’s accounts.
Access tokens are the equivalent of digital keys that keep users logged in to Facebook so they don’t need to reenter their password every time they use the service.
Security company Sophos said the only measure users had to take was to “log out and back in and that’s all that is necessary”.
Its principal research scientist Chester Wisniewski said: “In something as big and complicated as Facebook, there are bound to be bugs.
“The theft of these authorisation tokens is certainly a problem, but not nearly as big of a risk to user’s privacy as other data breaches we have heard about or even Cambridge Analytica.
“As with any social media platform, users should assume their information may be made public, through hacking or simply through accidental oversharing.
“This is why sensitive information should never be shared through these platforms.”
He said the truly concerned should use this as a reminder and an opportunity to review all of their security and privacy settings on Facebook and all other social media platforms they share personal information with.