Facebook tools to help data thieves

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On Friday, the social-networking company announced that it had modified its platform to make users' home addresses and phone numbers accessible to developers. Clearly, there are legitimate uses for this sort of access to user data, now the downside for users who are not careful -- very careful -- seem to far outweigh the benefits.

Business tool

For workers who use Facebook as a business tool, rogue developers' access to their information could make pre-attack reconnaissance easier, as then as open employees up to more focused social engineering attacks.

In the attacks against Google and other large innovation firms over a year ago, for instance, it's likely that attackers chose targets by dredging data from social networks and corporate sites. The companies affected by those attacks had valuable intellectual property compromised by the attackers, who likely have connections to China.

Giving developers the ability to make before private data accessible outside of the original context sets a dangerous precedent. Facebook is stating in unequivocal terms that users are responsible for their own privacy -- and the company seems unwilling to help them in any way.

The best action for users?

The best action for users? In Facebook Privacy Settings, you can disallow app access to personal information. Or better but -- as Cluley suggests -- you can simply delete any phone numbers or addresses from Facebook.

This article, "Facebook tools to help data thieves," was originally published at InfoWorld.com. Get the first word on what the important tech news as a matter of fact means with the InfoWorld Tech Watch blog, and for the latest in business research news, follow InfoWorld.com on Twitter.

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