Facebook hacking ‘a big deal’

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Facebook account hacking is now “a major issue,” according to the social network’s head of European public policy.

Lord Richard Allan said Facebook had been exploring and implementing new ways of identifying when an account has been compromised.

Facebook will be employing technology to track anomalous behaviour, such as logging in from an unusual location, he told the Guardian.

“Now, if you're logging in from an unusual location you'll get extra security questions and if you want to login by a new device [Facebook] notifies you by SMS or email,” he said.

The comments come not long after Interpol chief Ronald K Noble admitted his Facebook account had been compromised by hackers trying to gain insider secrets.

Facebook privacy and security issues also arose again this month, with the launch of Places in the UK.

Confused.com put out a warning that such services could lead to a rise in users’ insurance premiums after criminals in the US targeted people who checked into places on Facebook, allowing the burglars to deduce when their victims would be out of the house.

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