It has always been a bit of a taboo subject, but it appears that size does matter! That tiny little thing in your pocket (that you sometimes play with when you are bored) is a massive disappointment for — err, security on Facebook.
I am, of course, talking about mobile phones!
When surfing the Internet on a much bigger device — PC, laptop, etc. — then there are warning signs from your online security that warns you that you are on a form of dodgy website.
However, due to the size of mobile phones there just isn’t enough space for these sorts of reassuring online security protections. Size matters!
This doesn’t mean that you have got your trousers and pants around your ankles when you go online on a mobile device, embarrassingly revealing yourself to the blushing world. There are anti-virus, firewalls and security patches for your operating system — which should always be kept up-to-date, but these are not as secure as their elder Windows alternatives.
The major worry for mobile phone users using Facebook is the threat of phishing — which is a method in which scammers get you to type personal information into a website that looks like the real thing, but is actually a fake site designed to look exactly the same to fool you into giving the hackers passwords and credit card information.
It can be almost impossible for you to distinguish real websites from fakes on mobiles due to the tiny screens. Scammers get you onto these fake pages by sending emails or SMS texts to you claiming to be from Facebook which contain a link to the fake page.
It is therefore fairly simple for a scammer to develop nasty programs to spy on you as you type in your password or send you to a phishing site. This is also a problem on traditional computers, but spammers are now more and more turning their murky attentions towards social media via people logging in on the move, due to it being easier to disguise the phishing on smaller screens.
Here are four things you can do to keep safe while using your mobile, whether you’re perusing Facebook or using other applications:
- Don’t click on links in SMS or emails on your mobile.
- Log directly onto social media by visiting the website directly.
- Create a very strong password that contains letters and numbers.
- Never let your device save passwords.
As the mobile market booms, sadly, so will the number of phishing incidents — with Facebook as a popular disguise. Some say that size doesn’t really matter — it’s what you do with it that counts –- so at least follow the tips in this article to keep your private details in your own hands.
Andrew Parker is a social media expert at Dreamscape Design.
Source: All Facebook
Wednesday, June 1, 2011