Facebook Security

Is your facebook security where it should be? Do you know what Firesheep is and how it’s used?

Firesheep is a free application that is downloadable from the internet. With Firesheep a user can monitor your activity of sites like google, facebook and twitter. Not just monitor but the users can actually hijack your account because not only can they see your account, they will have full access! So this Facebook security thing probably has your attention now….

How Do They Bypass Facebook Security?

FireSheep in Use

It’s possible for an application like Firesheep to access account information when users are on public routers thereby bypassing facebook security. Maybe you are using an airport router or the local Starbucks, or library. Maybe your home router does not have security encryption enabled. These are places in which data can be intercepted. The software intercepts the cookies being sent between you and one of the web sites I mentioned earlier. The cookie information is what makes it so easy for you to log into a site. This is the important part of the facebook security.

Once someone has captured that information, they are free to log in and change anything they wish, post whatever they want and essentially be you! They can go through your gmail just like you.

Can I do Something to Increase Facebook Security?

Yes….There are a couple applications out there for Firefox browser users that were created exclusively to combat this problem. They are also free. The first one is HTTPS Everywhere. Merely download the plugin and let it install in Firefox and input web sites that you feel could be compromised by the security issue.

The set-up of the software is quite simple. Download the security software and Let it install into Firefox. Once installed Firefox will probably ask you to close and re-open Firefox.

You will then want to tell the software what sites you want to protect. Open the software as shown.

Next Step for Facebook Security

You then input the sites you want to protect…

You would then close and re-open Firefox one more time and you will be protected.

How Else Can I Secure My Data?

The easiest way is to use a VPN. However, if you don’t know what a VPN is, it’s unlikely that you will go to the steps and cost of getting a secure VPN.

There is one other alternative that you can use. It’s not 100% but it will certainly go a long way to making sure your facebook security has a chance against hackers. You can change settings in your Facebook and google gmail accounts.

What you want to do is use something called https instead of http. Whether you know it or not, you use https when you log into a bank or do a credit card transaction. The ‘S’ in https stands for SECURE.

I have included a screen shot of what you can do with your facebook security to get a secure connection.

Finally, a way to secure your gmail is as follows: