The parent company Facebook has reported that up to a million users'' login information might have been compromised and accessible to hackers. If you think you have been affected, make sure you have your passwords now.
Meta, a Google Play store and its App Store, has discovered 400 applications to collect users'' personal information. These include games, VPNs, health services, and photo editing tools, as well as phishing. All of the apps are designed to phish for Facebook users, which could result in compromised accounts.
These apps have been removed from their respective stores, but users should check that they haven''t already purchased one. Meta has listed the apps in full in a blog post (opens in a new tab) for users to cross-reference with their Android or iPhone, and is now reaching out to those affected. According to the Washington Post, one million Facebook users may have been affected by these malicious apps.
Many of these dangerous applications were targeted towards children, with Meta finding that 11.7% of them were masquerading as games. Among the most dismal of all, 42.6% of the applications were claiming to be photo editing apps, with any pictures taken using them likely to be compromised.
The trick to the phishing attack is to require users to enter the app as a result of the Facebook service offered by the social network, which often makes it virtually simple to log into service when using a mobile device. But in the case of malicious apps, they''d quietly steal the user''s login credentials, without fear for subsequent uncrupulous use.
Change your password now
If you suspect you have fallen foul of such phishing attacks, then we suggest you go and change your Facebook password immediately. This should reduce any malicious use of your account.
When it comes to logging into apps with a Facebook (or other social media) account, be aware that just because something is on Google or Apples official app store does not mean it is safe. Both companies do have strict safeguards against this type of fraud, but something will always slip through the cracks.
Meta has given us some guidelines to follow when it comes to trusting an app, including examining reviews and guidance for an app, and whether it only gives users the possibility to log in via social media (a huge red flag). This is a beginning, but there are also options to increase your security online.
The use of one of the best password managers available will improve your safety no end, as well as greatly reduce the damage associated with the same password. LastPass is important because of its ease of use, its support for all major platforms, and its wide range of features.
Anthony advises users to keep an eye on what their apps require permission to do. Is a flashlight app capable of accessing your contacts or address for example? This can be a problem for Android as a whole, and it is well worth checking out the best Android antivirus apps.
This (2FA) technique is very effective in protecting your login credentials, and it can be installed on most major online services such as Amazon, Facebook, and Fortnite. In today''s day, it is up to us as users to protect our own data. Make sure you don''t get caught out.