 Facebook can have you burgled
Theo Boshoff
According to IT security vendor, Panda Security, applications that have integrated location-based services and capabilities through social networks pose a serious risk to consumers.
Jeremy Matthews, head of Panda’s sub-Saharan operations, advises people to be very careful sharing information across social networks, particularly with regard to GPS-enabled location-based services, as criminals can easily intercept and use that information to aid them in breaking into your house.
Matthews explains that Facebook services such as Trip Advisor - which shows updates on where a person is at present or planning to be during certain times – shows criminals that people are out of the house, making your home an easier target for a burglary.
Matthew notes that there is a growth in services that can aid criminals, such as the now closed Pleaserobme, which connects with these location-based apps offering information about who is not at home.
“No one should use applications for planning journeys offered by social networks, to ensure that you can't be located. Similarly, users shouldn’t accept the geolocation function in Twitter or use this application from their cell phones,” he concludes.
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