Simple Bug allows Hackers to Read all your Private Facebook Messenger Chats

A security researcher has discovered a critical vulnerability in Facebook Messenger that could allow an attacker to read all your private conversation, affecting the privacy of around 1 Billion Messenger users.

Ysrael Gurt, the security researcher at BugSec and Cynet, reported a cross-origin bypass-attack against Facebook Messenger which allows an attacker to access your private messages,

Facebook Messenger Launches Instant Games

Instant Games Launched by Facebook

Recently Instant Games a series of titles which can be played in the Messenger iOS and Android app, or through the website of the company, had been launched by Facebook. As per TechCrunch, the game is quick to load as they tend to be delivered through HTML5 instead of full downloads. Real time multiplayer presently is not available though players can participate through high score rankings.The preliminary slate of game comprises of titles such as Galago, Pac-Man, Space Invaders together with Words With Friends Frenzy with free of ads as well as in-game purchases at present.

Screenshots of their high scores can be sketched by the players and share games to their Facebook News Feed that would enable t other players to join in promptly. In the case of developers, Instant Games access is in closed beta wherein they need to apply for the same.

As for the public, though the games seem to be accessible in 30 regions, including Canada, Russia, the U.S., Germany, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Mainland China has been excluded where Facebook has been banned. Facebook has been anticipating that some friendly competition would get the user to spend some more time in Messenger and compete asynchronously through high scores rather than directly simultaneously. Hence it is appropriate to try your luck at times.

Available on iOS/Android

Instant Games, in the long run could earn Facebook ad dollars from the developers who tend to promote their games or a cut in payments but there are no in-games purchases permitted yet. Instant Games has been launched in 30 countries with 17 games from classic developers such as Bandai Namco, Konami and Taito together with latest studios comprising of Zynga and King.

It is made available on latest iOS and Android devices and can be located by hitting the game controller icon in Facebook Messenger thread towards the photos and stickers buttons. Moreover, one could also play through platforms from Facebook on desktop due to an overlaid phone screen.

Social gaming had been dominated by Facebook around 2008 when its desktop app platform had been well-known for playing around for utilities. It had earned a peak of quarter-billion dollars for each quarter on its 30% tax on in-games purchases. Their addictive as well as viral nature enabled Facebook to develop its user count as well as commitments.

Attempts to Build HTML5 Game Platform – Project Spartan

Presently 15% of time on Facebook.con tend to be spent on playing games but the payment profitsseems to have reduced to $196 million in the most recent quarter. Since users seemed to shift to mobile, Facebook noticed that it had been shut out of gaming and only iOS and Android could run native app stores.

 It was they who had benefitted from taxes on in-game payments. In 2011, Facebook had been frantically making attempts in building an HTML5 game platform known as Project Spartan but had failed since the mobile web standard had not been adequately strong to build games which could rival with flashy download with native apps. Over a period of time the developers have identified how to have improved graphics together with responsive gameplay out of HTML5.

Beware! Malicious JPG Images on Facebook Messenger Spreading Locky Ransomware

If you receive an image file sent by someone, even your friend, on your Facebook Messenger, LinkedIn or any other social media platform, just DO NOT CLICK ON IT.

Even JPG image file could eventually infect your computer with the infamous Locky Ransomware.

Earlier this week, we reported a new attack campaign that used Facebook Messenger to spread Locky Ransomware via .SVG image files,

Spammers using Facebook Messenger to Spread Locky Ransomware

If you came across any Facebook Message with an image file (exactly .SVG file format) send by any of your Facebook friends, just avoid clicking it.

An ongoing Facebook spam campaign is spreading malware downloader among Facebook users by taking advantage of innocent-looking SVG image file to infect computers.

If clicked, the file would eventually infect your PC with the nasty Locky

Facebook Messenger Just Rolled Out 'Secret Conversations'

In this digital age consumers are more concerned about their privacy than they have ever before. Facebook is trying to build its credibility in terms of enhancing the security towards safeguarding the privacy of the billion users on its social media platform. For last two months Facebook has been trialing the Secret Conversation named feature which aims to offers end-to-end encryption feature on the Messenger app. A update to the app finally brings this much need encryption to the Facebook messaging app which has more than a billion users on global scale.

Secret Conversation a much needed feature for Messenger

A number of chat apps like SnapChat, WhatsApp and others are already providing the encryption on its platform to safeguard the communication of the users from prying eyes. Over the years chat apps has cemented themselves as a central mode of communication giving way to the age old text messaging.

Having this feature on Messenger will help in placing it among the secure and reliable apps category which will certainly aid in the adoption rate among the targeted audience. End-to-end encryption offers dual benefits as not just app owners but even the hackers and law enforcement agencies wouldn’t be able to access the user information in any way.

How to Use Secret conversations? 

Facebook Messenger will require users to ‘opt-in’ to the Secret Conversations feature. Users can make use of the Secret Conversation by manually selecting ‘Secret’ each time they need to initiate an encrypted conversation with friends. Messenger users can even add expiration time for their sent messages which range from 5 to 24 hour which is quite similar to SnapChat offering. However using the Secret Conversation will limit the amount of action user can perform while sending a message such as access to chatbots, animated GIFs and businesses will be turned off.

Report on messaging apps brings incredible insight

A detailed report generated by Business Insider on messaging apps brings a more refined and valuable look on the messaging market, value and potential. Right in the beginning it states that mobile messaging apps have transformed itself as a massive market with hundreds of millions of monthly active users.

The rise in messaging service apps and their adoption is directly influenced by the steep rise in the penetration of internet and falling of data prices couple with cheaper devices on global scale. Even to reign among the top 5-10 messaging apps isn’t an easy task as user’s preference keeps shifting with time therefore apps has to come up with new innovative ideas to keep their users engaged on their platform.

Currently the leaders in the messaging app platform happen to be the Asian messaging apps such as WeChat, LINE and Kakao Talk. All of these apps commands huge user base while Messenger is still in the nascent stage when compared to the amount of features and services these established apps present to the consumers. However with Secret Conversation Facebook is bringing the challenge back to the leaders in a most credible manner.

You Can All Finally Encrypt Facebook Messenger

Facebook – Secret Conversation

Whatsapp had put up a code with the addition of new layers of security to the apps of billion users with the creation of the largest end-to-end encrypted messaging network in history. WhatsApp’s parent company Facebook has now eventually provided it users using its other hugely famous chat app with the opportunity to catch up. As informed to WIRED, a spokesperson of Facebook had informed that the company had completed rolling out `Secret Conversations’ to 900 million Facebook Messenger users in the last few weeks.

The chosen feature enabled users to encrypt their messages in order that no one could read them with the exception of the two individuals at each end of a chat and not even Facebook or law enforcement of the intelligence organizations. A description stated in the app that when users had initiated their first encrypted conversation `your messages are already secure, though Secret Conversation are encrypted from one device to another’.

While the updates of the software of the company for iOS as well as Android have not been clearly mentioned the feature of encryption, those who tend to update their Messenger app would now find the choice of `secret option towards the top right area of the `new message’ screen.

Opt for Snapchat-Style Termination

Moreover the feature also permits the transmitters to opt for Snapchat-style termination time for messages which may vary from five seconds to a day. Users who have updated the app have the facility of sending or receiving encrypted time-sensitive messages and hence users are recommended to update as early as possible.

Secret Conversation tends to use the Signal encryption system which seems to have a healthy status in the security community. It had been established by the non-profit Open Whisper System that had implemented the encryption layer first in its own Signal app before teaming with the other companies to include the procedure.

The new security mechanism had been first announced by Facebook and had been tested with beta users in July. Google had also recently launched the Allo messenger which included the encryption choice.

New Feature – Strong/Simple Encryption

The new layer of encryption of Facebook Messenger needs to be enabled manually for each conversation instead of being changed on by default since it is in the Signal app or WhatsApp. The conclusion could be a measure of a negotiation with the purpose of assisting Facebook to prevent legal as well as political difficulties.

The default encryption of WhatsApp for instance seems to have already placed its parent company in an uncomfortable spot at least once when the authorities of Brazil had arrested an executive of Facebook in the country for his negligence in helping police decrypt WhatsApp messages that had been send in a drug trafficking case, by criminal suspects.

However, the opt-in move has brought about the scorn of privacy advocates when Facebook had announced Secret Conversation, such as the tweet from ACLU technologist Chris Soghoian. Considering it or not, the new feature of Facebook tends to bring in strong, simple encryption to hundreds of millions of users.

The spread to the other ultra-popular messaging services, with the combination of end-to-end encryptions, stopping investigations has never been easy.

Facebook Messenger adds End-to-End Encryption (Optional) for Secret Conversations

Facebook has begun rolling out end-to-end encryption for its Messenger app, thus making its users' conversations completely private.

The end-to-end encryption feature, dubbed "Secret Conversations," will allow Messenger users to send and receive messages in a way that no one, including the FBI with a warrant, hackers and not even Facebook itself, can intercept them.

But, this