This incident is the most recent in a string of events that highlights the vulnerability of Facebook accounts from hackers and entities taking advantage of loopholes in the system to steal valuable data.
In a statement, Facebook said that:
We have now determined that between September 14 and 27, 2018, the attackers used the access tokens to get certain Facebook account information from our platform. These access tokens have been since invalidated, which prevents any further access to Facebook account information.It can be recalled that Facebook was scrutinized for its role in the massive theft of personal information that was utilized by data mining company and political strategist Cambridge Analytica to secure the electoral victory of controversial figures Donald Trump of the US and Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines.
With over a billion users from all over the planet, Facebook is a very rich mine source of valuable data and information.
In this day and age where power is wielded by those who have control of information, it's easy to see why virtually every entity -- from governments to military to businesses to black-hat hackers -- wants to have a piece of the action.
It is therefore imperative for media users to secure their accounts in order to avert any instance of data theft.
In the case of Facebook, it has yet to release a more comprehensive assessment of the scope and extent of the most recent data breach affecting millions of its users.
But it did provide a URL link for Facebook users to find out if their accounts are part of the breach. Here's how to check:
- Log in in to your Facebook account.
- Go to Facebook Help Center here.
- At the bottom, it is indicated whether or not your account may have been compromised.
Moving forward, it is best to employ security strategies to minimize potential loss or damage should a similar incident happen in the future.