New Threats on the Social Network Era

With all those benefits, no wonder if Web 2.0 makes a lot of people interested in using the internet. Those who initially do not know what the virtual world is became curious and wanted to try. Examples of web 2.0 are Facebook and Twitter.

Using Facebook or Twitter is fun, even addictive in some people. A day they do not access Facebook or Twitter, something is missing. Unfortunately there are still many people do not realize that all the ease of sharing and accessing that information are along with other threats, the malware that also exploit the hole that exist.

As we all know, a variety of Web 2.0 applications are not only applied at home, but also in the corporate environment. It means there are many important and secret corporate data that can be targeted by malware creators. Users do not realize that they become the target of attacks, because they enjoy more convenience, even to socialize to expand friendships and business networking.

What's worse is that if users do not know if he actually helped the attack and also become the victim. It seems that social networks become increasingly popular target of malware authors. Each year, the number of malware samples associated with social networking doubled over the previous year.

Newer concepts offered by Web 2.0 is changing the style of classic navigation becomes much more interactive. Even users can keep in touch through the web 2.0 using their mobile devices such as mobile phones. This is such an understanding in which people constantly connected to each other with the web 2.0 as a medium, and a variety of sophisticated devices and gadgets that support. Anywhere, anytime.

Why Web 2.0 become squishy target for Malware and Cyber ​​Criminals? In recent years, social networking site became one of the most popular source of information on the Internet. Today, social networking sites used by more than 80 percent of Internet users around the orld, which means more than one billion people.

The growth in popularity is definitely known by the cyber criminals. So no wonder a number of sites become primary targets of malware and spam, in addition to a number of other crimes.

Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace or Twitter, have led millions of Internet users, as well as cyber criminals.

How badly does the attack on this social networking? Kaspersky Lab has identified a number of incidents involving Facebook, MySpace and VKontakte. Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface. spread throughout the MySpace network in the same way with Trojan-Mailfinder.Win32.Myspamce.a.

Twitter under attack by cyber criminals to advertise erotic videos. When the users click it, then they automatically download Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Banload.sco. Twitter also became as a medium for modificatied New Koobface infection, a worm that hacks Twitter account and transmitted through its tweets, and affects the entire follower. All cases were only a part of so many cases the spread of malware across social networks.

LinkedIn also under attack, where user was tricked into clicking on the profile a number of celebrities, but they've clicked a link to a fake media players. YouTube became the target of malware, as well.

The common structures to the web 2.0 attacks usually consist of three steps. First, the user receives a link from a friend in the form of interesting information, such as video clips. Second, users are asked to install certain programs to be able to watch the video. Third, once installed, the program secretly steal user account and continue the same trick to other users. 

The method is similar to the way the worm spreads through email. The worm that is distributed through social networking sites are nearly 10 percent successful to infect. Koobface also provides a link to a fake antivirus program such as XP Antivirus and Antivirus2009. This spyware programs also contain worm code. 

Threat to social networking sites is far more dangerous than to email. In addition to worm infection, the account in also a victim of a botnet, and even the owners are also affected. Botnets are able to steal user names and password, then spread the false message that could harm others, such as the demand for money transfer. So, the victims are not only the accounts, but the owners of the accounts itself, and others who send false messages.

Current social networking sites offer additional customization and feature with rich functionality to share personal content, image files, or multimedia with as many people in cyberspace. This site allows users to share thoughts and interests with their peers or community. In general, users of social networking sites to trust each other. This means that if they receive a message from their friends, they will immediately click away without suspicion that the message was inserted by malware. 

Today, many people believe that using a Web browser similar to go window shopping or go to the library in the real world. No one knows what's going to happen without their knowledge. Whereas on the Web, once we click the wrong link, or unintentionally, it means that we invite thieves or spies into our homes. Thieves or eavesdroppers in the virtual world unseen.

Take for example, url shortener applications are frequently required by micro-blogging like Twitter. Because message is only limited to 140 characters, then the user must use an url shortener applications when inserting a URL link to another site. URL shortener applications such as TinyURL, Bit.ly, or Is.gd will not show the actual URL name. Just enough information and links that have them concise.

Imagine if the users account has been compromised botnet without realizing it. Botnets will use their Twitter account, post the "Click my cute photo to see" and then followed by a URL that has been shortened, then their friends will instantly clicked. Malware contained in links that will bring the victim to another site that was already prepared to "set them up". 

Social networking sites like Facebook usually collaborate with other websites in order to be inter-connected. They are referred to as the third partition, aka the third party after Facebook itself, and its users. Many cases where it made ​​a third partition vectors, aka "vehicle" of the attackers.

All the cases discussed above is only a beginning. The attacks on social networking sites now exist in a variety of levels, ranging from malware to phishing. Cyber ​​criminals will use the vector to the web 2.0 more and more dangerous to deploy applications. But the evolution of attacks to web 2.0 will be in line also with the evolution of Web 2.0 itself is done.

Any applications that run on social networking sites also should be in an isolated environment to prevent interaction with a host of other Internet applications that do not participate in those sites.

It is difficult to limit which ones can be shared and which one can not be shared on social networking sites. Basically everyone needs privacy in the world of cyberspace. Lest we also become a classic phishing trick victim, especially when the new site page appears when clicking on the third partition application that asks us to log-in to fill in name, and a number of other personal data. If we doubt the authenticity of that page, it's good we go back to the original page by retyping Facebook www.facebook.com.

It takes many layers of protection. Internet security solutions like anti-malware are the best choice, but it is necessary to update intensely. Users should continue to increase alertness and level of security, because the attacker will also continue to expand the strategy.

Here is the evolution that is happening on the web 2.0. First, Mobility. Both the contents and the display to access its contents will be more mobile, so dependencies on the hardware to access and physical location will diminish. The more varied the platform used will complicate the malware authors to break through. They will be trouble on the operating system and hardware that will be used the user.

Second, localization and contextualization. Content and mobile interface makes the service better for the users. All tailored to their needs. Cyber ​​criminals inevitably would introduce a paradigm shift is to increase its attacks. 

Third, interoperability. Social networking allows us connected to each other, and then there must be security system built by the network and its users alone. This security problem can easily be improved if social networking services began to unify.

Source: http://www.avar2010.org