Facebook Hacked: 50 Million Users

Facebook Hacked: 50 Million Users' Data Exposed

Attackers stole log-in credentials, allowing them to take over user accounts.

  • By Jordan Lutke
  • Oct 02, 2018

Facebook reported Friday that they had suffered an attack on their network, which exposed the personal information and account details of nearly 50 million users.

The social media giant discovered the breach this week, having found that hackers had exploited a feature of Facebook’s website to gain access to other users’ accounts. Facebook said they had fixed the vulnerabilities and alerted law enforcement authorities to the breach.

The breach was caused by Facebook’s “View As” feature, which allows users to view their own account as if they were a stranger visiting it. The feature provides the user an “access token,” which allows them to log back into their account without resubmitting their information. Hackers exploited this system to harvest access tokens, using them to access other users’ accounts.

“We’re taking it really seriously,” said Mark Zuckerburg, CEO of Facebook. “I’m glad we found this. But it definitely is an issue that this happened in the first place.” Other Facebook officials stated that they did not know the origins or identities of the attackers, or even the scope of the attack, but also said they were still in the beginning stages of an investigation.

Facebook has been undergoing a crisis of trust with its users recently, following allegations the company did not do enough to suppress Russian disinformation campaigns in 2016, and the March 2018 revelation that Cambridge Analytica had been improperly harvesting users’ data.

“We have a responsibility to protect your data,” said Zuckerburg, in March. “And if we can’t, then we don’t deserve to serve you.”

This could be the first major data breach to happen after the EU's GDPR laws have gone into effect. The social media website could see a major lawsuit and deep fines.

About the Author

Jordan Lutke is an intern with 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.