Facebook 'Stalker' Tool Uses Graph Search For Data Mining 38
angry tapir writes "Mining small details from Facebook has become even easier with Graph Search, the site's new search engine that returns personalized results from natural-language queries. Graph Search granularly mines Facebook's vast user data: where people have visited, what they like and if they share those same preferences with their friends. 'FBStalker' is a Python script debuted at the Hack in the Box security conference in Kuala Lumpur. In its current form, FBStalker runs in the Chrome browser on OS X, entering queries into Facebook's Graph Search and pulling data. Even if a person's profile is locked down to strangers, their friends' open profiles can be examined, giving an indication, for example, who the person may be close with. FBStalker uses Graph Search to find photos in which two people are tagged in, comments on profiles and more."
isn't this like the n:th bot for querying it? (Score:3)
I mean seriously how many times can you flog the subject.
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Spear phishing (Score:2)
So based on the article, the lesson learned is do not give your tech-novice wife a computer with your passwords on it.
Re:Spear phishing (Score:5, Insightful)
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Meh, this is a targeted attack on a "high-profile public figure". Google or his garbage would probably turn up the same result. Granted, it sounds like their approach was the easiest.
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(though why you gave your cat a computer in the first place is beyond me)
Cause it's just so damn cute [grumpycatpics.com]!
It's a trap! (Score:1)
I've noticed one news site that only allows log in via "verified" Facebook accounts, if you really care about topics like privacy, security, then you would close your Facebook account.
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I've noticed one news site that only allows log in via "verified" Facebook accounts, if you really care about topics like privacy, security, then you would close your Facebook account.
Why? Attila T. Hun has always liked a bit of notoriety and FB just expands its reach.
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It's python. Why can't it be written platform agnostic?
I'm sure it can. But it's always better to focus on one platform when trying to meet a deadline, especially for a demo at an international event.
Has a friend posted a picture of you? (Score:3, Insightful)
If any friends took a snapshot of you and tagged you with your name, you're in the Matrix.
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Yes it's called a shadow profile I believe. They collect information about you based on your friends posts and they store it for when you're finally ready to sign up for their great service! http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/what-exactly-is-a-facebook-shadow-profile/
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It's called "Discovery" and goes hand in hand with a Lawsuit and Lawyer against Facebook.
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Re:What if one has no FB ? (Score:4, Informative)
If I remember well, I had to optout of some new google feature, 3-4 years ago or so, related to what is g+ now.
Maybe you didn't.
google has pushed g+ a lot.
if you're not on g+, then there's a lot of ways you can join by one clicking by accident. iirc gtalk was turned into g+ too. if you have a youtube account then you're on g+ now("upgrade account" click).
if you're not seeing g+ spam on gdrive and gmail then you might want to check again if you already have a g+ account.
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if you have a youtube account then you're on g+ now("upgrade account" click).
Not me. I've been very proactive about avoiding G+ (not on privacy grounds primarily but because I have no interest in having pointless social network profiles floating around). My youtube account isn't associated with a G+ account at all.
Maybe it's because my Google account is essentially tied to their domain services and I have all G+ stuff disabled on their dashboard. Trying to go to G+ at all presents me with a nice "Google+ is not available for your organization" message.
Just goes to show you (Score:1)
Facebook's "privacy controls" are nothing of the sort because they do not allow you control of your information when that information is found on other people's profiles. Kind of a microcosm of the government's third party doctrine if you ask me.
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they do not allow you control of your information when that information is found on other people's profiles
By definition, if it's on someone else's profile then it's not your information, even it if is about you. Go bitch at the person who put it up there if you have a problem with it.
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how could it? this isn't some world-wide-uk where everyone is celebs and have legal means to shutdown everyone talking about them.
if you don't want to be mentioned anywhere don't be friends with anyone. don't ever go anywhere.
even then though probably someone would talk about you as the creepy guy who never goes anywhere.
as to the presentation.. the guy could have saved everyones time and just linked to facebooks graph search pr.
a bit from the article that caught my eye (Score:3)
""It's basically not feasible for a human to go to the depths that FBStalker script does," he said."
Pfft-- I beg to differ...
Already said... (Score:4, Insightful)
Already said a million times or more but *this* is why I am not on Facebook.
Oh wait, I probably am and just don't know it thanks to my "friends". So I guess what I should have said is "this is why I hate Facebook"!
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Already said a million times or more but *this* is why I am not on Facebook.
Oh wait, I probably am and just don't know it thanks to my "friends". So I guess what I should have said is "this is why I hate Facebook"!
Precisely, you're probably better being on facebook with a locked down profile that you never add, perhaps with some fake photos, than you are ignoring it completely.
Or you can go with the herd. In nature a lone deer is often killed, while the herd remains safe. Are you sure you're a wolf?
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Yeah, that's scary. I registered for a brand new account. Facebook only has my e-mail address and name, but they already had connections to people I know. How the heck? I wished I could know more how it has connections to others. Did people name me? I asked people through other communication means, and they said no. WTF? With my fake accounts, I do not see anyone. It's scary! :(