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Facebook blames bug for Zuckerberg 'hacking' | Facebook blames bug for Zuckerberg 'hacking' |
(40 minutes later) | |
Facebook has said "a bug" was to blame for an odd posting purporting to come from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. | Facebook has said "a bug" was to blame for an odd posting purporting to come from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. |
Overnight, the cryptic message was posted to the Facebook fan page in the name of the 26-year old billionaire founder. | Overnight, the cryptic message was posted to the Facebook fan page in the name of the 26-year old billionaire founder. |
It called for the site to become a "social business" with investment from its users. | It called for the site to become a "social business" with investment from its users. |
The message led to speculation that the the site had been hacked or Mr Zuckerberg's account was compromised. | The message led to speculation that the the site had been hacked or Mr Zuckerberg's account was compromised. |
Initially Facebook would not comment but it has since issued a statement: "A bug enabled status postings by unauthorised people on a handful of pages, The bug has been fixed," the statement read. | Initially Facebook would not comment but it has since issued a statement: "A bug enabled status postings by unauthorised people on a handful of pages, The bug has been fixed," the statement read. |
"It was a handful of public Facebook pages and no personal user accounts were affected," it added. | |
Take down | Take down |
The message, left in the name of Mr Zuckerberg, read: "Let the hacking begin: If Facebook needs money, instead of going to the banks, why doesn't Facebook let its users invest in Facebook in a social way? | The message, left in the name of Mr Zuckerberg, read: "Let the hacking begin: If Facebook needs money, instead of going to the banks, why doesn't Facebook let its users invest in Facebook in a social way? |
"Why not transform Facebook into a 'social business' the way Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus described it?" | "Why not transform Facebook into a 'social business' the way Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus described it?" |
Muhammad Yunus is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and the founder of the Grameen Bank, which offers small loans to people who have no collateral to get started in business. | Muhammad Yunus is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and the founder of the Grameen Bank, which offers small loans to people who have no collateral to get started in business. |
The message also linked to a recently edited Wikipedia article about social business and asked readers: "what do you think?" | The message also linked to a recently edited Wikipedia article about social business and asked readers: "what do you think?" |
In addition, it linked to a page for the Hacker Cup, an annual programming event organised by Facebook. Many have interpreted this as a sign that the hacker feels they should win the competition. | In addition, it linked to a page for the Hacker Cup, an annual programming event organised by Facebook. Many have interpreted this as a sign that the hacker feels they should win the competition. |
A detailed analysis of the message by the Guardian newspaper turned up some clues about the hacker, but has failed to identify them. | A detailed analysis of the message by the Guardian newspaper turned up some clues about the hacker, but has failed to identify them. |
The cryptic Facebook post attracted nearly 2,000 comments before it was taken down, but not before technology blog TechCrunch spotted it. | The cryptic Facebook post attracted nearly 2,000 comments before it was taken down, but not before technology blog TechCrunch spotted it. |
The page, which has nearly three million fans, has also been moved to a new address, according to researcher Graham Cluley of security firm Sophos. | The page, which has nearly three million fans, has also been moved to a new address, according to researcher Graham Cluley of security firm Sophos. |
He speculated before Facebook's clarification about what could be behind the incident. | He speculated before Facebook's clarification about what could be behind the incident. |
He said that because the site was a public fan page, which are used to promote everything from businesses and products to bands and public figures, it was likely to be run by Facebook staff. | He said that because the site was a public fan page, which are used to promote everything from businesses and products to bands and public figures, it was likely to be run by Facebook staff. |
"It's quite possible that other people than Zuckerberg had access," he said. | "It's quite possible that other people than Zuckerberg had access," he said. |
"It could have been one of those that got hacked," he said. | "It could have been one of those that got hacked," he said. |
The hacker may have got access to the account, he said, via a poorly chosen password or spyware installed on an employee's computer that stole the password. | The hacker may have got access to the account, he said, via a poorly chosen password or spyware installed on an employee's computer that stole the password. |
Walk away | Walk away |
He said the password could also have been stolen when an employee was accessing the unsecured version of the site over an unencrypted wi-fi network. | He said the password could also have been stolen when an employee was accessing the unsecured version of the site over an unencrypted wi-fi network. |
Last year, a tool called Firesheep was released that that made it easy for anyone sharing an unsecure connection to grab login information for many unsecure sites, including Facebook. | Last year, a tool called Firesheep was released that that made it easy for anyone sharing an unsecure connection to grab login information for many unsecure sites, including Facebook. |
"I can easily imagine that something like that could have happened," said Mr Cluley. | "I can easily imagine that something like that could have happened," said Mr Cluley. |
Facebook has just released new tools aimed at shoring up user's accounts against tools like FireSheep, by allowing people to always connect via a secure connection. | Facebook has just released new tools aimed at shoring up user's accounts against tools like FireSheep, by allowing people to always connect via a secure connection. |
However, Mr Cluley admitted that the site may not have been hacked at all and the post may have been made by a disgruntled employee. | However, Mr Cluley admitted that the site may not have been hacked at all and the post may have been made by a disgruntled employee. |
"The other possibility is that [Mr Zuckerberg] strode away from his desk for a while and someone grabbed it and typed the message in. | "The other possibility is that [Mr Zuckerberg] strode away from his desk for a while and someone grabbed it and typed the message in. |
"Although you wouldn't think that would do much for their job prospects". | "Although you wouldn't think that would do much for their job prospects". |
The incident comes days after the account of French president Nicolas Sarkozy was also hacked to suggest that he was resigning. | The incident comes days after the account of French president Nicolas Sarkozy was also hacked to suggest that he was resigning. |
"As a general rule this can happen to anyone," said Mr Cluley. | "As a general rule this can happen to anyone," said Mr Cluley. |
"Just because a person is famous or well known doesn't mean that everything that is posted from their account is legitimate." | "Just because a person is famous or well known doesn't mean that everything that is posted from their account is legitimate." |
Mr Zuckerberg's private account appears not to have been affected. | Mr Zuckerberg's private account appears not to have been affected. |