Nov 11, 2009

F-Secure notes that the shift from e-mail to the instant communications provided by social networking sites means greater vigilance is required against links and messages sent from hacked accounts.

Helsinki, Finland – November 11, 2009: The shift from e-mail to instant communication via social networking websites is gathering pace. This trend also has some important security implications.  Cybercriminals have already responded to the changing patterns of communication by focusing more activity on popular social networks.

F-Secure Security Advisor Sean Sullivan says, “E-mail account addresses can be faked and people are used to getting mails from ‘unknown’ persons, so they are skeptical of links sent via e-mail. It is often more difficult to recognize when a member of their Social Network has been hacked. People have not yet learned to be skeptical of the links forwarded by their ‘friends’ in social networks, which can lead to infection from malware or to websites promoting rogue products.”

Read more: http://www.f-secure.com/en_EMEA/about-us/pressroom/news/2009/fs_news_20091111_01_eng.html