Ashackers and fraudsters increasingly use social networking
websitesto snare users, Websense is gathering
information on cyber-criminals' modus operandi to counter their
activities.
Websense has deployed new systems across the internet called
Honeyjax that emulate user behavior within
Web 2.0 applications, such as blogs, wikis and social
networking sites, to uncover threats before they spread.
It has evolved three methods to snare them. It opens dormant
accounts on sites, such as FaceBook, and waits for criminals to
plant an invitation to a rogue website, or plant binary or script
code on the site. It also joins sites and connects to the usual
suspects who might want to ask strangers to be their friend or buy
an item. Finally, Websense seeks out people who want to lure others
into some kind of financial transaction.
"When we get the web addresses of the criminals, we build the
information into a database of sites our clients should be
protected from," said Websense.