Facebook Privacy Issues: Facebook Being Sued by Users for $15 Billion

On the day that Facebook has gone public, it is also being sued for $15 billion by users who claim that Facebook was tracking their Internet usage, even after they had logged out of Facebook. The lawsuit is a combination of 21 other cases that have been filed against Facebook. This is just another case in a long string of privacy issues that Facebook has run into recently.

Germany is actually warning its business investors to stay away from Facebook's IPO because they say that the social network actually violates European privacy laws, and that they are soon going to try and stop Facebook from transferring personal user information from Europe back to the U.S. Another European activist organization is trying to force Facebook to let their users vote on the company's new privacy policies. And all of this comes on the heels of other social networking sites, such as Twitter, offering users a "Do Not Track" privacy option on their site.

If you are worried about your own privacy on Facebook, check out our video tutorial on how to adjust your privacy settings. You can also check out AVG's new "Do Not Track" function on their security software suite, which will block sites like Facebook from tracking your Internet usage. If you want to make sure your identity hasn't been stolen due to online privacy issues, check out our reviews of the top identity theft protection sites.

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Facebook IPO: Security, Privacy
Still an Issue for Social Network

Tomorrow is the day that everybody has been waiting for, the day Facebook goes public. But along with all the accolades and excitement, Facebook's IPO has also brought some scrutiny to how the company handles the privacy and security of its users. In a recent survey by AP and CNBC, 59% of Facebook users said that they have little to no faith in Facebook to keep their personal information private. Only 13% of those surveyed said that they had complete faith in Facebook. So there are obviously some trust issues between Facebook and its users.

As Facebook's popularity continues to increase, so does the hacking attempts on the social network. Hackers can now use a wide range of scams to use people's Facebook pages against them, including hacking into their account to get personal information, taking over their account to hack their friends' accounts, cloning or creating a fake Facebook page with the user's account, and hacking in to the unprotected information that the holes in Facebook's privacy settings leave vulnerable.

In addition to their privacy issues, Facebook has also traditionally had security issues, especially when it comes to spam. Recently, they teamed up with some of the top security software to help detect and block more of the spam that is common on Facebook. But just as the company is ready to go public, a new security threat is surfacing: the "LilyJade" worm. The worm uses a link to video to get users to click, which then prompts them to accept the "video viewer" plugin permissions to watch the video, which is a common practice on Facebook. Once they agree, LilyJade then periodically posts videos in the user's news feed to help spread the worm. And as Facebook's popularity and functionality increases, so will new hacking and spamming attempts on the social network.

So how do you keep your Facebook account as protected as possible?

1) Make sure all your privacy settings are set to the most secure setting. Here's how.

2) Always be careful of what you are clicking on when using Facebook. If you click on a link that requires an app to have access to your account, make sure that app is safe before you grant access.

3) Find security software that has a Facebook specific option, such as Norton, that will scan your Facebook page for any malicious URLs.

If you want to boost the security of your computer to help make your Facebook page more secure, check out our reviews of the top security software to find one that's right for you. If you want to make sure you aren't the victim of a privacy scam on Facebook, check out our reviews of the top Identity Theft protection programs and find one that you are comfortable with to help protect your identity.

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Malvertisements: New Brand of Malware Becoming More Popular

As if online advertising wasn't obtrusive enough, malvertisements are becoming more and more popular as a hacking tool, according to the San Jose Mercury News. What are malvertisements? They are basically malicious software disguised as advertisements on the web. In some cases, users don't even need to click on the malvertisements to be infected; merely navigating to the page with the malvertisement is enough. This malware has already affected millions of computers and continues to grow as new forms of online advertising pop up.

Malvertisements can be used to do everything other malware software can do, including stealing your passwords, account information, spread computer viruses, and more. How can you protect yourself? First off, if your firewall has any ad blockers, make sure to activate them. Since the malware acts as an advertisement, it will also be blocked. Second, any security software that has a URL scanner, such as Norton or Kaspersky, should be able to detect any malicious activity on the website, so it should protect against any attacks.

If you need security software for your computer or are looking to upgrade, take a look at our compare chart and find a security software suite that is not only right for you, but includes a URL scanner.

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Microsoft: Macs Are No Longer Safe
From Malware, Attacks Will Increase

Microsoft has discovered a flaw in Microsoft Office that is being exploited by malware for the Mac. Although the flaw was discovered 3 years ago and was fixed with an update by Microsoft, many people have not updated their Office software and hackers are continuing to use the flaw to release malware onto Mac computers. Most recently, a new version of the Flashback Trojan was discovered to be exploiting the Microsoft Office flaw, according to ZDNet.

The flaw only seems to affect Mac OS Snow Leopard, and only Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac, Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, and Open XML File Format Converter for Mac programs that have not been updated. If you are concerned that you might be vulnerable, it might be a good idea to update both your Mac OS and Microsoft Office software.

This newest Mac attack, along with all the recent news on the Flashback Trojan, shows that Macs are starting to become vulnerable to malware attacks. Microsoft, in their release about this Microsoft Office flaw, says, "In conclusion, we can see that Mac OSX is not safe from malware. Statistically speaking, as this operating system gains in consumer usage, attacks on the platform will increase."

If you are worried about security for your Mac and want to check out security software for your computer, check out all of our reviews of the top security software suites or our comparison chart so you can choose the best security software for your machine.

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Report: Hackers Are Increasingly Targeting Facebook, Twitter, Other Social Media

Symantec, the company that produced Norton Internet Security Software, is sharing some of their analytics around where hackers like to attack the most, and the numbers point to an increased targeting of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media sites, according to Symantec's recently released Security Threat Report.

The report says that Symantec blocked 5.5 million malware attacks in 2011, which is up a staggering 81% from 2010. The most attacks are coming from social networking and blog sites, which can be paydirt for hackers because of the sites' viral nature and the amount of personal information on them.

"A social medium is perfect for social engineering. It's easier to fool someone when they think they're surrounded by friends," the report's authors wrote.

Mobile attacks are also on the rise, as smartphones become more popular for surfing the web. The report says that the most common mobile threats are collecting data, tracking users and sending premium text messages.

Luckily, many of the top security software suites offer specific social media plug-ins that can help you ward off any attacks to your Facebook, Twitter or other social media pages. Most security software companies also offer bundles that include protection for your computers and mobile devices. To read our reviews and compare all the top security software suites to find the right software for you, click here.

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Facebook Security Gets a Boost With New Software To Block Malicious URLs

Ever get tricked by one of those spam links on Facebook? Well, you can click without fear. Facebook is partnering with McAfee, TrendMicro, Symantec's Norton and other security software companies to help boost the security offerings on their website, according to Facebook’s Chief Security Officer, Joe Sullivan.

Facebook will now incorporate the malicious URL databases from all the security software companies into their URL blacklist systems, which will effectively block those sites from being posted on Facebook. Between Facebook's own list of malicious URLs and the added URLs from the security software companies, most malicious sites should be blocked. Norton is also known for its cloud-based information sharing technology that notifies and updates Norton software when any of the computers the software is installed on comes across a new virus or malicious site, which means new spam links should also be blocked from Facebook before they go viral.

If you are looking to protect more than your Facebook page, most of the top security software that we review provides reliable, advanced virus and malware detection along with extra scan protection for your Facebook page. To check out our reviews and compare the different security software suites, click here.

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New, More Dangerous Flashback Malware Infects Mac Computers that Aren't Updated

Remember that Flashback malware that infected over 600,000 Macs? It's back, all because Mac users aren't updating their Apple software, which includes the patch that blocks the malware, according to Venture Beat.

The new version is called Fashback.S, and it's more dangerous than the first version. This version of the malware doesn't need to be activated by prompting people to download a plug-in or enter a username and password into a fake software update field, it starts up immediately when you go to an infected website. The new version can only access computers that don't have the updated Apple software that has the Java patch to block the Flashback malware.

Macs are becoming more prone to virus and malware attacks, so make sure your computers are protected. Many of the top security software suites that we review offer Mac software to help protect against viruses and malware. Check out our reviews here and compare the security software to find one that is right for you.

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FBI: You Could Lose Your Internet
If You Don't Clean Up Malware

The FBI is warning computer users that they need to disinfect and remove the DNS Changer malware from their computer or they may lose their Internet connection come July. The DNS Changer Trojan horse malware is believed to have affected millions of computers worldwide in 2007, and can affect both Macs and PCs.

The malware itself is no longer a threat since the FBI seized the servers that the cybercriminals were using to redirect all web browsing through these servers so they could collect personal information. The issue is that the servers cost a lot to maintain, so the FBI needs to shut them down. So if your computer is still infected, it will be redirecting your web browsing through the servers, which means it will be impossible to gain web browsing access if the servers are shut down.

If you need to disinfect your computer, many of the top security software suites offer removal tools that can help, including Norton, Kaspersky, McAfee and Trend Micro. To check out our reviews of these and other security software suites, or to take advantage of deals and discounts on the software, check out our Internet Security Software compare page.

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Kaspersky Internet Security Discount:
Get $15 Off Their Top-Rated Software

Looking for an excuse to get one of the top Internet security suites for your PC? Well, now is the time. Kaspersky, who rarely offers deals or discounts on their impressive security software, is giving NextAdvisor readers $15 off their Internet Security suite.

Kaspersky's new 2012 suite really impressed us this year. From the installation to the interface to the new cloud technology, the system is easy and user-friendly. Their suite of antivirus and anti-malware features go above and beyond the normal protection, including free mobile protection. Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 has become an industry favorite and a best buy in our books.

To read our review of Kaspersky Internet Security and take advantage of this deal, click here.

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Trojan Horse Software that Can Steal Credit Card Info Is Being Sold on the Black Market

Source: Alaskan Dude via Flickr

Did you know there is a black market for computer viruses and malware? It turns out that a computer Trojan horse that is capable of stealing credit card information from software on hotels' computers is being shopped around on the underground forums, according to a leading security firm. The seller is apparently shopping the Trojan horse for around $280.

The malware is reportedly able to be quietly downloaded to hotel front desk computers where it will steal customer credit card and billing information, and can be sent over email or instant message. It is said to be undetectable by most security software, but those security suites that offer heuristic and behavioral detection, such as Iolo's System Shield and Eset Smart Security, should be able to detect the new virus when it tries to execute.

It's always a good idea to keep your computer, along with your personal information, protected. To keep an eye out for identity theft, especially when traveling, sign up for an identity theft protection service. We review the top services here. And to keep your computer protected, check out our reviews of the top security software suites here.

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