Publication Details
Social Networks Security
Pecho Peter, Ing., Ph.D.
social networks, social engineering, privacy paradox, security, Facebook
This work analyses possible misusing of social networks by techniques of social engineering. We tested users of social networks and proved that they are not aware of the risks.
Our study analyses possibilities of misusing social network
sites due to irresponsible behaviour of users. Recent
surveys show that problems of social network are more often
to occur, due to openness as one of the key features of
these sites. Social engineering can be misused by attackers
concerning on social network with the purpose of gaining
sensitive information. There is a conflict between users'
security awareness and their actual behaviour, so called privacy
paradox. We were interested in amount of information
people are willing to reveal in their profiles. We have found
out users' behaviour which leads to insufficient protection
of published information. These sensitive information are
suitable for all kinds of phishing and other similar attacks.
In our study we compared two groups of fictive profiles
(personal profiles of users having no friends and profiles
of users with fictive friends) and studied their success in
creating new links in social network. We also considered
tools for protecting sensitive information in social networks.
@inproceedings{BUT33727,
author="Jan {Nagy} and Peter {Pecho}",
title="Social Networks Security",
booktitle="Proceedings of The Third International Conference on Emerging Security Information, Systems and Technologies",
year="2009",
pages="321--325",
publisher="International Academy, Research, and Industry Association",
address="Los Alamitos",
isbn="978-0-7695-3668-2"
}