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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| MH17: Twitter and Facebook spammers exploit crash | MH17: Twitter and Facebook spammers exploit crash |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Scammers are using the MH17 disaster in east Ukraine to spread objectionable links, online security experts have warned. | Scammers are using the MH17 disaster in east Ukraine to spread objectionable links, online security experts have warned. |
| A link to a pornographic website disguised as a video of the Malaysia Airlines crash was posted on a Facebook page dedicated to one victim. | A link to a pornographic website disguised as a video of the Malaysia Airlines crash was posted on a Facebook page dedicated to one victim. |
| Many tweets have been posted that appeared to report the disaster, but actually included spam links. | Many tweets have been posted that appeared to report the disaster, but actually included spam links. |
| One expert said the firms should take more responsibility for removing them. | One expert said the firms should take more responsibility for removing them. |
| The chief intelligence officer of anti-spam body Spamhaus, Richard Cox, said that it was common for spammers to exploit anything being discussed by a lot of people online. | The chief intelligence officer of anti-spam body Spamhaus, Richard Cox, said that it was common for spammers to exploit anything being discussed by a lot of people online. |
| "It is a fairly rapid and predictable response by the individuals behind it. They are all to make money. There is no compassion involved," he said. | "It is a fairly rapid and predictable response by the individuals behind it. They are all to make money. There is no compassion involved," he said. |
| Mr Cox added that the perpetrators might be using software that could detect what was being posted regularly and repost using the same hashtags. | Mr Cox added that the perpetrators might be using software that could detect what was being posted regularly and repost using the same hashtags. |
| A Facebook community page dedicated to Liam Sweeney, one of the 298 people victims, uses his name and picture. | A Facebook community page dedicated to Liam Sweeney, one of the 298 people victims, uses his name and picture. |
| Its sole post is a link entitled: "Video Camera Caught the moment plane MH17 Crash over Ukraine". | Its sole post is a link entitled: "Video Camera Caught the moment plane MH17 Crash over Ukraine". |
| However, the link takes users to a pornographic website. Moreover, anyone who clicks on it is then asked to call a phone number in order to verify that they are aged 18 or older. | However, the link takes users to a pornographic website. Moreover, anyone who clicks on it is then asked to call a phone number in order to verify that they are aged 18 or older. |
| "Whoever it is now has your caller ID and you could get a lot of nuisance calls," said Mr Cox. | "Whoever it is now has your caller ID and you could get a lot of nuisance calls," said Mr Cox. |
| "This is all based on a somewhat tasteless video that probably doesn't exist and is presented in a completely tasteless way." | "This is all based on a somewhat tasteless video that probably doesn't exist and is presented in a completely tasteless way." |
| He added that Facebook should have deleted the site. | |
| Facebook subsequently did so after it was brought to its attention by the BBC. A spokesman said: "We are disabling these profiles as soon as we are made aware of them. | |
| "We encourage people to block those responsible and report suspicious behaviour to our team of experts via our reporting buttons so that we can quickly take the appropriate action." | |
| Twitter abuse | Twitter abuse |
| On Friday 18 July, security firm TrendMicro reported that it had detected tweets pretending to be about MH17, but which also bore spam links. | On Friday 18 July, security firm TrendMicro reported that it had detected tweets pretending to be about MH17, but which also bore spam links. |
| Rik Ferguson, the firm's vice president of security research, said that its research suggested that the pages were most likely being used to gather clicks to generate advertising revenue. | Rik Ferguson, the firm's vice president of security research, said that its research suggested that the pages were most likely being used to gather clicks to generate advertising revenue. |
| He said the tactic could also be used to force pages higher up search engine rankings. | He said the tactic could also be used to force pages higher up search engine rankings. |
| "It looks like a lot of people are retweeting what they are doing," he said. | "It looks like a lot of people are retweeting what they are doing," he said. |
| Twitter's rules state: "User abuse and technical abuse are not tolerated on Twitter.com, and may result in permanent suspension. | Twitter's rules state: "User abuse and technical abuse are not tolerated on Twitter.com, and may result in permanent suspension. |
| "Any accounts engaging in the activities specified below may be subject to permanent suspension: If you post multiple unrelated updates to a topic using #, trending or popular topic, or promoted trend." | "Any accounts engaging in the activities specified below may be subject to permanent suspension: If you post multiple unrelated updates to a topic using #, trending or popular topic, or promoted trend." |
| TrendMicro said that many previous disasters had been exploited in a similar way and that it expected to see further exploitation of the MH17 crash. | TrendMicro said that many previous disasters had been exploited in a similar way and that it expected to see further exploitation of the MH17 crash. |