How to Protect Your Facebook Account from Rogue Applications

A rogue application is a Facebook application developed by someone with fraudulent or deceitful intentions. The application often doesn’t perform its stated objectives. They are designed to obtain account information of the user, and they can be used to spread spam, scams or other malware to friends of the infected account. Typical examples are:

  • Profile Viewer Apps
  • Apps that redirect to phishing links and forms
  • Apps that lead to malicious downloads
  • Apps that lead to survey scams

The best way to guard against rogue applications is to avoid any third-party Facebook applications entirely. If this approach is too extreme for you, there are some steps you can take to help protect your account.

1. Be very selective in the applications you install. Stick with applications from well known developers and software companies. If you are tempted to install a more obscure application, then research it thoroughly before doing so.

2. Double check the permissions you have granted to Facebook applications currently installed. You can access this list by clicking the down arrow in the top right corner and then clicking the ‘settings’ link. Then you’ll want to click on the ‘Apps and Websites’ link located in the left column. This will take you to the App Settings page. You can also use this link to be taken straight there.

 

Here, you can edit the permissions on specific applications. It’s a good idea to remove anything you don’t recognize or haven’t used in a while.

When clicking on an app, you can see what Facebook data the application has access to, the last time it accessed your data, and you can set privacy settings for the application in question.

It is a good idea to check these settings from time to time. Application developers have been known to change required application permissions. Always be mindful of what data access a third party developer requests. Be especially suspicious of applications requesting the following:

  • Complete and total access to your Facebook account – An app requesting too many permissions is a big warning sign.
  • Access to Facebook Chat – You don’t want the app spamming malicious links via chat messages to your friends.
  • The right to manage your Pages or Events – It is a common ploy for scammers to create bogus pages and events to spread their messages virally across Facebook.

If you don’t use apps at all, then we recommend disabling the app platform. Just scroll down a bit you’ll see this section under ‘Preferences.’

 

Click the Disable Platform button and you’re good to go.

Keep this information in mind the next time you think about installing a Facebook application! One rogue application can impact a large number of innocent users, and you don’t want the infection traced back to you!

Also check out –

How to protect your Facebook account from Rogue Browser Extensions

How to spot a Facebook Survey Scam

Updated 12-16




Recommended Resources

bitdefender Choose what the experts use: award-winning cybersecurity you can trust and rely on.

PIA Surf the web truly incognito. Try Bitdefender Premium VPN, the ultra-fast VPN that keeps your online identity and activities safe from hackers, ISPs and snoops.

System Mechanic 14 – Make your computer run like new. Winner of 200+ Editor’s Choice awards!

Facecrooks Weekly Roundup - March 20, 2011 Previous post Facecrooks Weekly Roundup - March 20, 2011 [SCAM ALERT] haha check this out!!! Find out what your face will look like 30 years from now @ Next post [SCAM ALERT] haha check this out!!! Find out what your face will look like 30 years from now @