Facebook 77.0 (iOS / App Store) on Jan 26, 2017 (upd. on Feb 3th – ver 78.0)

This application is available for iOS. This app is designed to keep up with friends is the faster way by using the popular social network. The latest build was released on Jan 26th, 2017 (updated released on February 2nd, 2017).

This release transfers data items are protected by SSL Pinning that means a weakness if you have a jailbroken device only. The data items are part of menu settings are vulnerable for intercepting (MITM attacks) with crafted certificate and installed on the device as trusted. These data items include

Media Data related to the ‘Account Information’ Group

Stream, Contact Profile, Contact GEO, Tracked Data ‘n’ Favorites related to the ‘Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information’ Group

Device Data related to the ‘Analytics ‘n’ Ads Information’ Group

Credentials (IDs), Credentials (Passwords), Credentials (Tokens) related to the ‘Credentials Information’ Group

Device Details, Network Details, Environment related to the ‘Device Information’ Group

Calendar Events, Calendar Details related to the ‘Events Information’ Group

GEO Data, Location History, Place Details, Address Data related to the ‘Location ‘n’ Maps Information’ Group

Contact Profile, Media Data related to the ‘Media Information’ Group

Personalization related to the ‘Personal ‘n’ Private Information’ Group

Stream, Messages, Preview, Access Permissions, Media Data, Bookmark Data related to the ‘Social Information’ Group

Findings Summary

Our examination revealed total 59 items, where were 24 DAR items and 35 DIT items found. Among DAR items were found 0 worst items, 22 bad items, 1 good item, and 1 best item. Among DIT items were found 0 worst items, 8 bad items, 27 good items, and 0 best items.

Below you find 3 infographics summarizing what we described above. Each image provides information about both DAR and DIT items.

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Everything presented below is related to well-known CWEs, such as Sensitive data leakage [CWE-200], Unsafe sensitive data storage [CWE-312], Unsafe sensitive data transmission [CWE-319]. You can read more about it here.

Now let’s go deeper and examine each data item’s protection level.

Application Description

Let’s cite the description of this application below:

Keeping up with friends is faster than ever.

See what friends are up to

Share updates, photos and video

Get notified when friends like and comment on your posts

Watch and interact with live video

Play games and use your favorite apps

Read our Data Use Policy, Terms and other important info in the legal section of our App Store description.
Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Facebook doesn’t run GPS in the background unless you give us permission by turning on optional features that require this.

Protection levels.

Locally stored data (Data-at-Rest, DAR).

Locally stored data groups include Application Information, Device Information, Credentials Information, Account Information, Media Information, Social Information, Analytics ‘n’ Ads Information, Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information, Events Information.
The average DAR value is 3.79 points (7.00 points of system protection and 0.58 points of own protection). It is higher than a typical value (3.5 points, where’s 7 points of system protection and 0 points of own protection).

Items’ GROUP #1 with average value 3.50 points (7 points of system protection, 0 points of own protection) means data protection levels have following definitions. Frankly talking, extra data found that shouldn’t be accessed where system protection level means – root/jailbreak is required but not possible without wiping device data, and own protection level means – stored as is.

– Application Configs (‘Application Information’ Group) – Different configuration files created by your app, perhaps app permissions. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– Network Details (‘Device Information’ Group) – Extra info about network. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be details about your device,

– Credentials (IDs) (‘Credentials Information’ Group) – Only account IDs like app or 3rd party user IDs including emails, phone number, usernames, etc. (depends on apps). This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any types of credentials including basic (IDs only), passwords, tokens, etc.,

– Account Data (‘Account Information’ Group) – Basic info about account like name, a list of sub-account (e.g. financial or other) and some linked data like a phone number. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to profiles, basic credential IDs like email or username or phone number plus some more info depends on applications,

– Session Details (‘Credentials Information’ Group) – Typical logged session data like connection activity, transferred data, perhaps credentials IDs, rarely access IDs, tokens or passwords. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any types of credentials including basic (IDs only), passwords, tokens, etc.,

– Application Certificates ‘n’ Profile (‘Application Information’ Group) – Configuration files are known as certificates and profile for devices and apps including VPNs. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– URLs (‘Account Information’ Group) – Different types of URLs referred to your files stored in clouds, profiles, social accounts, media files available online, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to profiles, basic credential IDs like email or username or phone number plus some more info depends on applications,

– Device Details (‘Device Information’ Group) – Includes basic device details plus hardware key and fingerprints as well as IMEI. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be details about your device,

– Media Data (‘Media Information’ Group) – Any info like images, audios, videos, media notes, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any data like photo, image, video, audio,

– Preview (‘Social Information’ Group) – Some pieces of info downloaded locally or to show only on display only like a preview of emails, social posts, documents, thumbnails, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info grabbed from 3rd party social networks,

– Contact Profile (‘Media Information’ Group) – Full info about contacts including name email id, phone numbers, gender, linked accounts, geodata, stream and social activity. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any data like photo, image, video, audio,

– Preview (‘Media Information’ Group) – Some pieces of info downloaded locally or to show only on display only like a preview of emails, social posts, documents, thumbnails, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any data like photo, image, video, audio,

– Stream (‘Social Information’ Group) – Any social or another stream activity including posts, walls, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info grabbed from 3rd party social networks,

– Media Data (‘Account Information’ Group) – Any info like images, audios, videos, media notes, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to profiles, basic credential IDs like email or username or phone number plus some more info depends on applications,

– Device Data (‘Analytics ‘n’ Ads Information’ Group) – Device ID, Device Name, Device OS Name and Version, and jailbroken/root status. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to analytics services like Flurry, Google Analytics, etc. or advertisements,

– Media Data (‘Social Information’ Group) – Any info like images, audios, videos, media notes, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info grabbed from 3rd party social networks,

– Bookmark Data (‘Social Information’ Group) – Some info about bookmarks like date and time and body. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info grabbed from 3rd party social networks,

– Contact Profile (‘Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information’ Group) – Full info about contacts including name email id, phone numbers, gender, linked accounts, geodata, stream and social activity. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info locally stored, cached or transferred over the network and belong to this application if it’s social even,

– Tracked Data ‘n’ Favorites (‘Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information’ Group) – Any favorites data or tracked data marked as desirable by users and for users (Means, user is on FB messenger, Viber, bank client or favourite hotel, room type, flight route, airline). This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info locally stored, cached or transferred over the network and belong to this application if it’s social even,

– Calendar Events (‘Events Information’ Group) – Some info about calendar events like date and time and calendar body. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any events with details about event,

– Calendar Details (‘Events Information’ Group) – Details of calendar events like date and time, time zone, place, participant’s info, calendar body, notes, attachments, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any events with details about event,

– Access Permissions (‘Social Information’ Group) – The list of permissions linked to access token used to get access to some features of service. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info grabbed from 3rd party social networks

Items’ GROUP #2 with average value 6.50 points (7 points of system protection, 6 points of own protection) means data protection levels have following definitions. Frankly talking, protection and privacy issues are still possible but might involve interaction with an app code where system protection level means – root/jailbreak is required but not possible without wiping device data, and own protection level means – data is not available in backups.

– Account Details (‘Account Information’ Group) – Full info about your account including account membership, expiration, profile, linked data and account, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to profiles, basic credential IDs like email or username or phone number plus some more info depends on applications

Items’ GROUP #3 with average value 7.50 points (7 points of system protection, 8 points of own protection) means data protection levels have following definitions. Frankly talking, compliance but there are publicly known techniques to access the data including forensics one where system protection level means – root/jailbreak is required but not possible without wiping device data, and own protection level means – compliance encryption algorithms ‘n’ security mechanisms implementations.

– Screen Snapshots (‘Media Information’ Group) – Screenshots of your device screen running certain apps; common as an iOS app multitasking feature (app swipes) or browser tab swipes. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any data like photo, image, video, audio

Also, keep in mind, using jailbroken device means the system protection level is 0 points and you’re using out-of-date iOS < 8.3 the system protection level is 2 points. If some data marked as shareable via iTunes, then the system protection level is 4 points.

Transferred data (Data-in-Transit, DIT).

Transferred data groups include Application Information, Credentials Information, Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information, Social Information, Location ‘n’ Maps Information, Events Information, Media Information, Account Information, Device Information, Analytics ‘n’ Ads Information, Personal ‘n’ Private Information.
The average DIT value is 4.77 points (4.00 points of system protection and 5.54 points of own protection). It is higher than a typical value (4 points, where’s 4 points of system protection and 4 points of own protection).

Items’ GROUP #1 with average value 4.00 points (4 points of system protection, 4 points of own protection) means data protection levels have following definitions. Frankly talking, data available if it’s allowed only and may require user action where system protection level means – informs if fake certificate imported into a device, and own protection level means – bypassed by fake/stolen root certificates.

– Log Data (‘Application Information’ Group) – Logged any data as a solid file or multipart files. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– Credentials (Passwords) (‘Application Information’ Group) – Well-known passwords or PINs you’re using to get access to your account (usually it is worse than tokens because it gives full access to your account). This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– Credentials (App Passwords) (‘Application Information’ Group) – Apps based passwords or PINs you’re using to get access to some features of services per your account for some apps while two-factor authentication turned on (usually can’t use to your account). This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– Transaction History (‘Application Information’ Group) – Some info about transactions were made like ID, date and time, and amount of payment. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– Contact Short Profile (‘Application Information’ Group) – Name, Email ID, Phone number of contacts. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– Credentials (IDs) (‘Application Information’ Group) – Only account IDs like app or 3rd party user IDs including emails, phone number, usernames, etc. (depends on apps). This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– Card Full Information (‘Application Information’ Group) – All details about card include short info, holder address, bank info and CVC, CVV, CVV2. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers,

– Card Short Information (‘Application Information’ Group) – Some info about card holder, card number full or short) and expiration. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any info related to the app, app settings, including installed apps or installers

Items’ GROUP #2 with average value 5.00 points (4 points of system protection, 6 points of own protection) means data protection levels have following definitions. Frankly talking, data is not available all the time or partially accessed where system protection level means – informs if fake certificate imported into a device, and own protection level means – SSL pinning (can be patched).

– Credentials (Passwords) (‘Credentials Information’ Group) – Well-known passwords or PINs you’re using to get access to your account (usually it is worse than tokens because it gives full access to your account). This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any types of credentials including basic (IDs only), passwords, tokens, etc.,

– Credentials (Tokens) (‘Credentials Information’ Group) – Different tokens used to get access to your account, except for passwords but including app or 3rd party tokens, secret keys, etc. (usually give full access to your account). This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any types of credentials including basic (IDs only), passwords, tokens, etc.,

– Stream (‘Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information’ Group) – Any social or another stream activity including posts, walls, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info locally stored, cached or transferred over the network and belong to this application if it’s social even,

– GEO Data (‘Location ‘n’ Maps Information’ Group) – Any GEO info stored as plain text referred to the places or tracked activity. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any geodata from trackers, social networks, GPS, etc.,

– Location History (‘Location ‘n’ Maps Information’ Group) – The history list of addresses, geodata, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any geodata from trackers, social networks, GPS, etc.,

– Network Details (‘Device Information’ Group) – Extra info about network. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be details about your device,

– Environment (‘Device Information’ Group) – Different info about the environment of the device including apps lists, device info, OS name and versions, updates, a list of users, network details, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be details about your device,

– Contact GEO (‘Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information’ Group) – Linked info about owner and friend’s geodata stored as plain text or image location snapshots. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info locally stored, cached or transferred over the network and belong to this application if it’s social even,

– Messages (‘Social Information’ Group) – Different types of messages, conversations, except for SMS, MMS but including recipient and sender IDs and attachments. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be info grabbed from 3rd party social networks,

– Place Details (‘Location ‘n’ Maps Information’ Group) – Any info about public place (city, country, address, contacts) stored in text or media file format. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any geodata from trackers, social networks, GPS, etc.,

– Address Data (‘Location ‘n’ Maps Information’ Group) – Home, work or another type of owner address stored by apps. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any geodata from trackers, social networks, GPS, etc.,

– Personalization (‘Personal ‘n’ Private Information’ Group) – Info describes user preferences, favorites, tracked data, search requests, suggestions, etc. This data item related to mentioned group meant to be any personal and private info is not grabbed from the 3rd party social networks or your IDs

Keep in mind if you’re using out-of-date iOS < 9.0, the system level equals 2 points instead of 4. It means your data can be stolen without involving your actions.

Privacy Policy

Full application privacy policy is available here.

You may find privacy policy details proceeding the link above to compare developer’s vision on data protection with our results.

More than 1 billion users in total use this application.

[Dev Statement #1]>>

According to the full data use policy

Date of Last Revision: September 29, 2016. As you review our policy, keep in mind that it applies to all Facebook brands, products and services that do not have a separate privacy policy or that link to this policy, which we call the “Facebook Services” or “Services.”

[PrivacyMeter comment #1]>>

The last update of Privacy Policy written by eFax Team is bound to the September 26th, 2016 and cover all services including mobile applications

[Dev Statement #2]>>

I. What kinds of information do we collect?

Depending on which Services you use, we collect different kinds of information from or about you.

Things you do and information you provide. We collect the content and other information you provide when you use our Services, including when you sign up for an account, create or share, and message or communicate with others. This can include information in or about the content you provide, such as the location of a photo or the date a file was created. We also collect information about how you use our Services, such as the types of content you view or engage with or the frequency and duration of your activities.

Things others do and information they provide. We also collect content and information that other people provide when they use our Services, including information about you, such as when they share a photo of you, send a message to you, or upload, sync or import your contact information.

Your networks and connections. We collect information about the people and groups you are connected to and how you interact with them, such as the people you communicate with the most or the groups you like to share with. We also collect contact information you provide if you upload, sync or import this information (such as an address book) from a device.

Information about payments. If you use our Services for purchases or financial transactions (like when you buy something on Facebook, make a purchase in a game, or make a donation), we collect information about the purchase or transaction. This includes your payment information, such as your credit or debit card number and other card information, and other account and authentication information, as well as billing, shipping and contact details.

Device information. We collect information from or about the computers, phones, or other devices where you install or access our Services, depending on the permissions you’ve granted. We may associate the information we collect from your different devices, which helps us provide consistent Services across your devices. Here are some examples of the information we collect:

Attributes such as the operating system, hardware version, device settings, file and software names and types, battery and signal strength, and device identifiers.

Device locations, including specific geographic locations, such as through GPS, Bluetooth, or WiFi signals.

Connection information such as the name of your mobile operator or ISP, browser type, language and time zone, mobile phone number and IP address.

Information from websites and apps that use our Services. We collect information when you visit or use third-party websites and apps that use our Services (like when they offer our Like button or Facebook Log In or use our measurement and advertising services). This includes information about the websites and apps you visit, your use of our Services on those websites and apps, as well as information the developer or publisher of the app or website provides to you or us.

Information from third-party partners. We receive information about you and your activities on and off Facebook from third-party partners, such as information from a partner when we jointly offer services or from an advertiser about your experiences or interactions with them.

Facebook companies. We receive information about you from companies that are owned or operated by Facebook, in accordance with their terms and policies. Learn more about these companies and their privacy policies.

[PrivacyMeter comment #2]>>

The Facebook Team collects the following types of information, doesn’t describe how it is protected but each of them protected in two different ways. In the description below the ‘Group’ term means a place in the application where it was found, so there is a possibility that the same data item might be duplicated and found in one or more places at the same times with a different protected level too even.

For DIT (network) items that are part of activity related to the main application are assigned to the Good Protected Level, while the data items are part of settings (application, account settings and so on) are assigned to the Medium Protected Level

The ‘Main application’ items include Log Data, Credentials (Passwords), Credentials (App Passwords), Transaction History, Contact Short Profile, Credentials (IDs), Card Full Information, Card Short Information related to the ‘Application Information’ Group

The ‘Settings’ data items include

Media Data related to the ‘Account Information’ Group
Stream, Contact Profile, Contact GEO, Tracked Data ‘n’ Favorites related to the ‘Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information’ Group
Device Data related to the ‘Analytics ‘n’ Ads Information’ Group
Credentials (IDs), Credentials (Passwords), Credentials (Tokens) related to the ‘Credentials Information’ Group
Device Details, Network Details, Environment related to the ‘Device Information’ Group
Calendar Events, Calendar Details related to the ‘Events Information’ Group
GEO Data, Location History, Place Details, Address Data related to the ‘Location ‘n’ Maps Information’ Group
Contact Profile, Media Data related to the ‘Media Information’ Group
Personalization related to the ‘Personal ‘n’ Private Information’ Group
Stream, Messages, Preview, Access Permissions, Media Data, Bookmark Data related to the ‘Social Information’ Group

Good Protected Level means all data items protected by SSL encryption mechanisms are pinned to the Facebook certificate and no other certificate accepts as valid one unless your device is jailbroken
Medium Protected Level means the application has SSL mechanisms implemented but data items can be intercepted with crafted and installed a certificate as trusted.

Also, the application can validate an SSL connection and detected crafted certificate, however, that security feature is limited to perform checks by comparing SSL certificate with a list of installed certificates on the device including certificates added by the user and marked as trusted. In this case, MITM is possible to intercept data items in traffic. All data items found in research are affected to MITM with installing crafted certificate. The crafted certificate can be either installed by the user or be already on the device and expired. The first case divides into parts when user knowingly installs the certificate or someone makes him install it by misleading into change to access to the network. ‘Making someone to install’ is divide to the simple case to get access to the public network or serious one like in Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan is going to start intercepting HTTPS traffic via “man-in-the-middle attack” starting Jan 1, 2016, Government root SSL certificate possible vulnerabilities, Bug 1232689 – Add Root Certification Authority of the Republic of Kazakhstan (root.gov.kz), Mozilla – CA Program (Included Government of Kazakhstan roots)). The second case divides into parts when the certificate is preinstalled and expired or was revoked but not removed, or when the user got the firmware with a specially crafted certificate.
If you have up-to-date iOS, it means you still do not have additional protection from the MITM attacks aimed to intercept the network traffic if you have trusted certificated installed by yourself. If you have outdated iOS below iOS 9th version, you might have issues that decrease your system level of protection due to known problems with security mechanisms and leads to the MITM attacks without installing a crafted certificate as trusted.

For DAR (local) items that are represented as data items stored in backup too and out of backup only and not accessible without jailbreak/outdated iOS.
The ‘in-backup’ items include

Account Data, URLs, Media Data related to the ‘Account Information’ Group
Contact Profile, Tracked Data ‘n’ Favorites related to the ‘Address Book ‘n’ Contact Information’ Group
Device Data related to the ‘Analytics ‘n’ Ads Information’ Group
Application Configs, Application Certificates ‘n’ Profile related to the ‘Application Information’ Group
Credentials (IDs), Session Details related to the ‘Credentials Information’ Group
Network Details, Device Details related to the ‘Device Information’ Group
Calendar Events, Calendar Details related to the ‘Events Information’ Group
Media Data, Contact Profile, Preview related to the ‘Media Information’ Group
Preview, Stream, Media Data, Bookmark Data, Access Permissions related to the ‘Social Information’ Group

The ‘Out of backup only’ items include

Account Details related to the ‘Account Information’ Group
Screen Snapshots related to ‘Media Information’ Group

The locally stored data requires either jailbreak or a backup, however, usually, not all data items are included in a backup file. If you use outdated iOS below iOS 8.3th version, you might have issues that decrease your system level of protection due to known problems with security mechanisms and leads to stealing the data items of the application stored in an application folder (except keychains) without jailbreaking the device but having the device connected to PC/Mac.

[Statement #1 and comment #1]

[Solutions for Developers #1]>>
In general, the dev team should revise the policy and include information how the application data is protected, because this part is obviously missed.

[Solutions for users #1]>>
Nothing required

[Statement #2 and comment #2]

[Solutions for Developers #2]>>
The dev team should implement SSL Pinning in a way to trust only Instagram SSL certificate. The certificate is easiest to pin. It is possible to fetch the certificate out of the band for the website, use openssl s_client to retrieve the certificate, etc. At runtime, the application retrieves the website or server’s certificate in the callback. Within the callback, the application compares the retrieved certificate with the certificate embedded within the program. If the comparison fails, then fail the method or function.

The locally stored data should be protected and encrypted. Adding information what data is included in a backup help users make a security decision clearly.

[Solutions for users #2]>>

You may safely use this application including main activities if your device is not jailbroken, but avoid installing suspicious SSL certificates into your device if you are not sure where it comes from, avoid using this application in the non-trusted network and check your device for installed user CA SSL certificates that marked as trusted. Also, you may use VPN solutions to prevent MITM.

Keep in mind, that a backup is an additional insecurity flow even if you do not have a jailbroken device. Avoid to create a non-encrypted (non-protected by password) backup files, use jailbroken device and outdated iOS below 8.3 version.