According to a variety of news reports, Facebook has a new feature that could only exist in the weird world of vulnerable digital networks, mass government surveillance, vulnerable social media accounts, and overall security paranoia in which we now live. Basically, Facebook will now send you a courtesy message notifying you that your account may currently be under attack from a state-sponsored actors.
In a post on the Facebook security blog, Facebook's Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos stated that Facebook had already taken measures to prevent such attacks, but that, "because these types of attacks tend to be more advanced and dangerous than others" it was important for individual account holders to take extra security measures, as demonstrated in the example message below.
Stamos also emphasized that this was not a response to any specific threat or compromise in Facebook's security, just a general reminder of security necessities.
Most interesting about this is the 'state-sponsored' aspect of the warning. As the world's communication and information becomes increasingly based on digital channels and storage, that information takes on new vulnerabilities. As we have seen in relations between China and the United States, the battle has become both economic and electronic, with each side enthusiastically doing what it promises not to do. (But hey, at least we're not shooting at each other.)
The security of social networks may be moving into a new era where tech companies not only have to protect against individual or groups of self-interested hackers looking for monetary gain, but also the spying and subterfuge of government intelligence agencies looking to gain information and/or leverage on individuals.
In practical terms, this all means that the best practice of two-factor logins for your digital and social media accounts are more necessary than ever.
View the original article here
Original source: Facebook Will Now Warn You If Your Account Is Being Spied on by a Nation-State.
http://www.jretechnology.com
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