Friday, February 25, 2011

Facebook HTTPS:// How secure are you?

After Facebook announced its HTTPS browsing security, many people went about their day posting comments, playing games and using other applications, all the time thinking that all their activity and comments were hidden from anyone except the chosen few. Not true.


Facebook comments are still visible in many search results, as are “likes, and “places” and many Facebook app activities.


Facebook uses HTTPS whenever your password is sent to them, and according to Facebook’s announcement: “Starting today [January 26, 2011] we'll provide you with the ability to experience Facebook entirely over HTTPS. You should consider enabling this option if you frequently use Facebook from public Internet access points found at coffee shops, airports, libraries or schools.”


The word “entirely” can be confusing to many folks. The HTTPS is not turned on by default therefore you must manually activate it from your “Account Settings” page on Facebook.


The “entirely” confusion relates also to Facebook Apps which are not included in the HTTPS (in my experience so far). If you visit a non secure app in Facebook, and want to return to HTTPS, you should re-check your account settings to see if it unchecked itself.


While on Facebook, look at your URL address; if you see http: instead of https: then you don't have a secure session and you can potentially be hacked if you are using a public computer or a wi fi connection in a public place.


https:// ( HyperText Transfer Protocol with Secure Sockets Layer.) The data transferred is encrypted so that it cannot be read by anyone except the recipient. Https:// is used by website that are collecting sensitive customer data such as banks, financial groups and most online stores, and, you may have noticed a small “lock” icon appear in your address bar on these websites.


Go to Account|Account Settings|Account Security. FB defaults to the non-secure setting.
Click Change. 
Check the first box for HTTPS and the second box if you want to be notified whenever someone from a mobile device or new computer accesses your account. (This also means you at a new computer or your phone, etc)
and then click Save. 




Remember,:
...If you visit a non secure app in Facebook, and want to return to HTTPS, you should re-check your account settings to see if it unchecked itself.




... and most important: what you post on Facebook, whether your page or a friends is public, and in many way can be returned in search results or other tools.



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To stay abreast of trends and technology advancements, Sumner Davenport continues to participate regularly in developer forums and expands her knowledge through training courses sponsored by large internet marketing companies, developer forums and the internet search giants, as well as industry related events in her clients' areas of practice. By consistently monitoring trends, events and news, Sumner is better able to assist them in selecting the best venues for marketing their firms.
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