Monday 9 April 2012

Your Facebook credentials at risk

Facebook allows its authentication credentials to be stored in plain text within the Apple iOS version of its mobile app, allowing an attacker complete control over your Facebook account if he knows where to look.

Security researcher Gareth Wright noted the vulnerability and alerted Facebook. Wright wrote on his blog that he discovered the issue while exploring the application directories in his iPhone with a free tool and came across a Facebook access token in the Draw Something game on his phone.

The simple ‘hack’ allows a user to copy a plain text file off of the device and onto another one. This effectively gives another user access to your account, profile and all on that iOS device.

Facebook’s native apps for the two platforms not encrypting your login credentials, meaning they can be easily swiped over a USB connection, or more likely, via malicious apps. Facebook has responded that this issue only applies to compromised or jailbroken devices.
 
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