# PTE SWT #12: Digital Security and Malicious...

Summarize Written Text #12 - Level 2 - Feeds Writing + Reading

> Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your answer.

A recent incident at Meta's Facebook left users worried as the social media giant announced earlier this week that over a million users may have had their credentials compromised. The reason behind the security lapse - malicious apps that tricked users into giving the app their login credentials under false guises. A report by Bloomberg suggests that a number of malicious apps that were available on the Play Store and App Store were disguised as photo editors, mobile games and health trackers, among others. This makes it hard for most people to identify what could potentially be problematic apps since such apps are built around offering a false use-case. Malicious apps will offer to provide extra bonus features by getting users to log in with their Facebook account (or another social media account). This seemingly harmless act tricks users into opening in-app windows where they will sign in with their usernames and passwords. Similar to how keyloggers work, once a user enters their credentials, the malicious apps may keep a record of the same and send it to remote attackers when the phone is next connected to mobile data or WiFi. Facebook has said that not all of the roughly 1 million devices may have had their credentials compromised, but the company plans to share tips with potential victims on how they can avoid being "re-compromised" by learning to spot potentially malicious apps.

## Answer

A security lapse at Meta's Facebook exposed over a million users to potential credential theft caused by malicious apps disguised as utilities like photo editors and games, which tricked users into entering login details, later harvested by attackers, prompting Meta to offer guidance on identifying and avoiding such apps to protect users from future breaches.

## Explanation

A strong response effectively summarizes the core issue of credential theft through deceptive mobile software, highlighting the mechanism of the breach and the importance of user awareness.

## Hints

- Focus on identifying the primary cause of the security breach mentioned in the text.
- Explain how these applications trick users into revealing their private login information.

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