How web browsers are giving away your personal information
Have you recently noticed adverts on websites have an uncanny knack of displaying products that you have recently been looking at on other unrelated sites? You may be logging into your Hotmail account and see a pair of trainers you were looking at last week scroll up the page, or maybe reading a news article and see a friend's Facebook profile displayed on the page. It's all down to an increasing number of ways that web browsers store information. There are website cookies, advertiser cookies, social media cookies, evercookies and a host of other applications all sending information to advertisers about your web activity. And that is just the legitimate software tracking your movements. Even with antivirus protection your computer could be host to any number of malware, Trojans and worms. The articles below explain the potential threats to web safety and how you can avoid advertiser knowing your every move.
How websites use your browser to sell you for cash
It has been a year since I have talked about securing browsers against privacy invasion. In that time, things have got worse, not better. In addition to the threat of malware and malicious scripts, we have the frightening new evercookie. Leaving the criminal misuse of tracking for a later date, there is plenty to worry about from the use – and misuse – of our personal data by legitimate organisations. Advertisers are getting aggressive, and the techniques in use require a stalwart defence if we hope to retain our privacy.
Read more at theregister.co.uk
Socialbots used by researchers to 'steal' Facebook data
Socialbots used by researchers to 'steal' Facebook data Researchers have demonstrated a new technique capable of stealing personal information from Facebook. Using 'socialbots', computer programmes that mimic real Facebook profiles, the researchers were able to harvest vast quantities of personal data. Socialbots are increasingly being used by internet criminals and are being offered for sale on the internet for as little as $29 (£18).
Read more at bbc.co.uk
