Web 2.0 and Security

Web 2.0 has become a catch-all phrase to describe websites that are more than just plain, static information dissemination. In the Web 2.0 world, the web serves as a platform for people to create and share their own content online in form of blogs (or weblogs), videos or photos. RSS is also embraced by many websites to give a summary of news headlines of interests. By making this platform as user-friendly and accessible as possible, people are encouraged to visit often, and to post and view content. Popular social networking sites, such as MySpace, or video sharing sites, such as YouTube, are prime examples employing Web 2.0 technologies.

However, there are two sides to every coin. While Web 2.0 technologies offer many advantages in terms of enriching the Internet and improving the user experience, they are also bringing a number of security concerns and attack vectors into existence. In this paper, we discuss the possible threats introduced by Web 2.0 technologies and suggest corresponding counter-measures.

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