FACEBOOK BREACH OF SECURITY

Introduction In today’s society, technology plays an important role in our everyday lives. Technology has made many lives easier, but with this ease, comes with many risks. People are becoming savvier about how to break into computer systems and access personal information. For many people, this is considered a breach of security. According to wisegeek.com, a security breach is “an incursion into a computer or network of computers, usually by hackers or malicious software that compromises sensitive data or causes damage to computers or network function.”1 Most of the time these so-called “computer hackers” find ways to evade security systems to steal important personal information such as social security numbers, home addresses and banking information. These hackers can be either a young person experimenting with information technology or an advanced computer programmer. Some will take this information and engage in illegal behavior such as leasing a car or opening a credit card or applying for a home loan. Many times this violation of security can lead to devastating consequences for the victim. On occasion, a computer security breach can be caused by only one person or a group of people. Other times, it can be caused by “malicious software, viruses, or other programs [which] are inserted into a system with the aim of destroying data or damaging the ability of a computer or network to operate.” 1 There are several types of security breach, all of which can be detrimental. “In a network-based breach, a malicious user gains access to a computer through any open network connections the computer may be using, such as a LAN connection or a wireless network connection.” 2 Another form of security breach is called malware. It is a type of “malicious software that can compromise a computer 's security…a user may unknowingly install malware by downloading a file off of the Internet or by visiting a website that automatically downloads software via the Internet

References: 1. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-computer-security-breach.htm 2. http://www.ehow.com/info_8768777_types-computer-security-breaches.html 3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook 4. Kazeniac, Andy (February 9, 2009). “Social Networks: Facebook Takes Over Top Spot, Twitter Climbs” (http://blog.compete.com/ 2009/02/09/facebook-myspace-twitter-social-network/) .Compete Pulse blog. Retrieved February 17, 2009. 5. ^ "Birthday boy Mark Zuckerberg to get $100bn gift". The Times of India. Associated Press. May 14, 2012. Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. 6. ^ "Facebook squeaks onto the Fortune 500". USA Today. May 6, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013 7. http://www.intomobile.com/2013/06/21/facebook-security-breach-exposes-6-million-users-phone-numbers-email-addresses/