Sophos warns that Facebook's roll-out of a new e-mail service will have serious security implications for users.
Facebook's Webmail client gives users an external e-mail address that brings together Facebook messages, instant messages and SMSes in one place.
In a Sophos FAQ guide, Sophos claims Facebook's new features increases the attack surface on the Facebook platform and makes personal accounts more attractive for cyber criminals to hack into.
Brett Myroff, CEO of regional distributor, Sophos SA, says: "Facebook accounts will now be linked with many more people in the users' social circles; opening up new opportunities for identity fraudsters to launch attacks."
Sophos notes that cyber criminals are compromising the accounts of Facebook users, and using their accounts to spread spam messages.
According to the security company, spam sent via social networks can be more effective than traditional e-mail spam, as users are more likely to open and trust a message which appears to have been sent by someone they know, such as one of their Facebook friends.
"Users also need to be aware that Facebook will be storing a complete archive of all of their communications with one person. This raises concerns as to how this data could be misused if it fell into the wrong hands," says Myroff.
He adds that it will be critical for the social network with 500 million users, to implement more effective filtering mechanisms to prevent fraudsters from manipulating Facebook users into falling victim to scams and phishing attacks.
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