With today’s population another means of social contact, or meeting people has became extremely popular. The social networks that are so prevalent on the internet are making it easier and easier for people from all walks of life to meet and form relationships across the globe. And as these relationships blossom, so does the carefree attitude about sharing personal experiences and information.
The thieves of today are also aware of the growing audiences of these networks and have already started to target their victims. According to an article in on BBC news, in 2008 these sites will become an attack vector for the hi-tech gangs who are now behind the vast majority of cyber crime. This data can give criminals knowledge about the names of employees at a company, insight in its managerial make-up or information about its processes to lend credibility to other attacks.
The big challenge for now and the coming future is for individuals and companies alike, is to recognize these problems and the vulnerability of these networks and find means to counter the attacks. By making systems more secure and more complicated, my not be as successful as just refraining from volunteering the detailed information that the thieves are searching for.