Understanding the Data Breach

Facebook recently faced a major data leak due to two third-party app developers: Cultura Colectiva from Mexico and an app named At The Pool. Here's what went wrong:

• Both stored a whopping 540 million user data records on unprotected Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers.

• Cultura Colectiva's cache had over 540 million records including comments, likes, reactions, account names, and Facebook IDs. While this might sound harmless, it's a gold mine for potential fraudsters.

• At The Pool's data stash was comparatively smaller but contained riskier details. Along with names and emails, it had 22,000 unencrypted passwords. It's believed these passwords were for the app itself and not Facebook, but users with matching passwords across platforms are at risk.

• Notably, At The Pool's website has been inactive since 2014. This suggests the data might have been unprotected for several years.

The Discovery and Response

Cybersecurity experts at UpGuard unearthed and reported this lapse. Addressing it, however, proved challenging:

• Cultura Colectiva was alerted twice in January 2019 but remained silent.

• Amazon Web Services was notified by the end of January, and by February 1st, they informed UpGuard about notifying the bucket’s owner.

• Despite multiple alerts, it wasn't until April 3rd, 2019, when media outlets reached out for comments, that corrective actions were taken.

Remarkably, while Cultura Colectiva took nearly three months to act, At The Pool's data was swiftly secured. Still, that data had been unguarded for an alarming five years.

Why Does This Matter?

If you never used At The Pool or Cultura Colectiva, you might feel unaffected. But this incident sheds light on Facebook's limited control over user data once shared with third parties. It's worth questioning: Do you really know what Facebook and associated apps know about you? Is your data truly safe?

Securing Your Data: Best Practices

Your control over Facebook data may be limited once shared. But here's how you can minimize exposure:

Avoid third-party apps on Facebook: They ferry your data to entities that might not prioritize security.

Consider a Facebook detox: Given the rising concerns, reevaluating your need for the platform might be in order.

Limit your Facebook activity: If leaving seems drastic, reduce your activity. Provide only essential details and engage minimally, ensuring you reveal as little as possible.