VeriSign: 1.5M Facebook Accounts for Sale in Web Forum
Security researchers at VeriSign iDefense can put a price on your Facebook account. As a recent attempt to sell 1.5 million accounts shows, social networking credentials are gaining value in the cyber-underworld.
Signing up for Facebook is free. But that doesn't mean attackers will have trouble turning a profit if they get their hands on your user credentials.
Just how much money can be made is illustrated by new findings from VeriSign iDefense, which uncovered a cyber-crook on an electronic fraud forum selling 1.5 million Facebook accounts at a price of $25 per 1,000 accounts with 10 contacts or less. For accounts with more than 10 friends the going rate was $45 per 1,000.