August 15, 2006
Social Networks, Now With Spyware
When college officials warn incoming students about the dangers of MySpace and Facebook, they tend to talk about thorny issues like privacy and personal responsibility. But campus-network administrators probably would like to see the topic of computer security get at least a brief airing.
After all, social-networking sites have become breeding grounds for viruses and spyware, according to a new report. The study—one in a monthly series conducted by ScanSafe, an online security firm—found that one in 600 social-network profiles contains some sort of malware, reports ElectricNews.
Not all social-networking sites are equally dangerous, though: Facebook, which restricts access to users with campus e-mail addresses, is less virus-ridden than wide-open competitors like MySpace. —Brock Read
Comments
Commenting is closed for this article.
Previous: The Business of Education
Next: This Tome for Rent
Since ScanSafe profits from selling its virus scanning software, isn’t it a bit convenient that the #2 site on the web (Myspace) is the target for their study? A general examination of the web demonstrates that the Internet, as a whole, is chalk full of viruses and spy-ware. A study run by a business who profits from a planned outcome really isn’t a study at all – it is a marketing ploy.
— David Henny Aug 16, 09:37 AM #