Social networking web sites have created distinct ways to communicate and share information, which has made them an enduring part of everyday life for millions of users worldwide. They are extremely popular among a wide range of cyberspace users and most users draw little distinction between their real life and online life. People have started using social networking sites as a platform to create, maintain and develop their private and business networks, to search for their lost ones, to share their emotions and thoughts etc.
Identity is the major concern while surfing on the web, but case studies of many of the social networking sites surprisingly bring to light that they are prone to organized crimes. Social networking sites are attractive to bad guys not only because of potential security holes in them, but because the very nature of the sites works as a way to affect more people.
"Social Networking website based crimes are major part of the cybercrime scenario today. Cyber stalking and cyber bullying are also major issues that use social networking site platforms on the Internet" says Mr. Swanand Shinde, cyber security expert at Quick Heal Technologies, Pune. Mr. Swanand Shinde has been doing extensive research on cyber crimes on Social Networking websites since last one year and has observed that there is exponential growth in different types of threats related to these websites.
Mr. Swanand is going to present his research findings in a paper presentation at Virus Bulletin 2009 Conference (VB2009) at Geneva. Virus Bulletin Conference 2009 is an annual conference taking place at Geneva during 23-25 September 2009. Swanand's VB2009 presentation is entitled “Social Networks: ´Hit all once‘ Attackers Perspective”. The paper will discuss many techno-social issues with social networking and uncover myths and facts about the social networking security. It will give a crystal clear idea about the changing threat landscape with social networking and explore the attackers' motive: 'Hit all once'. The paper shall sum up with an effective action plan for all categories of the cyber space users and states the mantra for safe and secure social networking. It will raise the confidence level of the users of this pretty fascinating networking technology.

Over its 18-year history, the Virus Bulletin conference has become a major highlight of the anti-malware calendar, with many of its regular attendees citing it as the anti-malware event of the year. The conference provides a focus for the industry, representing an opportunity for experts in the field to share their research interests, discuss methods and technologies and set new standards, as well as meet with - and learn from - those who put their technologies into practice in the real world.
"Insight in to the other side of the social networking websites is what needs most attention today and what can be better platform than annual Virus Bulletin Conference to present this. I am glad that Swanand's paper got selected for this conference and I am looking forward to see him present the paper." Says Mr. Sanjay Katkar, CTO, Quick Heal Technologies
About Quick Heal:
Quick Heal Technologies established in 1993 by Mr. Kailash Katkar and Sanjay Katkar, is a leading developer of IT security software under “Quick Heal” Brand. It caters to enterprise security solutions and individual security needs as well. Serving more than a million users worldwide, it is committed to relentlessly tackling its customer‘s toughest security challenges. Its innovative solutions empower home users, corporate and public sector by giving comprehensive and total protection for the end point devises by combining both proactive and reactive technologies seamlessly using trusted signature base detection as well as advanced DNA scan technology. Quick Heal is present in 50 countries globally apart from its well-entrenched network in India.

The link on Virus Bulletin Conference‘09:
http://www.virusbtn.com/conference/vb2009/abstracts/Shinde.xml

Visit the publisher's website: http://www.quickheal.co.in/