Social Networking Websites: Are They Safe?

The rapid growth of social networking sites has taken the internet world by storm.  While they are widely popular, you have probably also read news accounts of crimes committed using social networking sites to bring criminal and victim together.  So, just how risky are these sites?  Will we be able to access them from work?  The answers lie in an analysis of the risks.

Due to the sheer popularity of these websites, they are ideal angles of attack for distributors of malware, often in the form of shared programs or “apps” (applications).  As most social networking sites encourage the sharing of personal and private information, identity thieves, predators, and others who benefit from the vulnerability of others are attracted to these sites. Due to the prevalence of these and other risks, most social networking websites are blocked from the NPS network.

While social networking sites have been abused to commit crimes from “cyberbullying” to stalking and murder, the sites themselves are only a tool.  As with any useful tool, the user bears the responsibility for taking proper safety precautions and learning what the tool should be used for and not used for.   

What specifically attracts criminals to social networking sites?  First, a sense of anonymity and invisibility may cause them to think that they can not be held accountable for what they say or do on these sites.  Sites claim to be “monitored and controlled”, but to what degree surely varies from site to site.  From a criminal point of view, social networking sites are “target rich environments” where millions of people seem to be willing to share information that makes them vulnerable.  People don’t seem to grasp that once this information is shared online, it cannot effectively be taken back or made private again.  With some simple but often inconvenient precautions, a lot of identity theft could be prevented.

For those who are (or have family who are) interested in accessing social networking sites from their personal computer, here is some helpful advice:

• Limit exposure of personal information (yours and your family’s);
• Consider other users of these sites as strangers (they may be pretending to be someone they are not);
• Develop a healthy skepticism (if you have not already done so);
• Take advantage of all privacy settings and features available for the site.  Chances are that these protective measures were added in response to real incidents and/or crimes.

For more cyber-tips, visit US-CERT:  http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/