[Colloq] Masters Thesis Defense - Avanish Pathak - An analysis of various tools, methods and systems to generate fake accounts for social media - December 11th, 3pm, 164 WVH

[Fong, Andy]

Masters Thesis Defense - Avanish Pathak - An analysis of various tools, methods and systems to generate fake accounts for social media - December 11th, 3pm, 164 WVH
Avanish Pathak
3pm December 11th, 164 WVH

An analysis of various tools, methods and systems to generate fake accounts for social media

Fake accounts on Online Social Networks (OSNs) have become a basic resource used in various kinds of online attacks. While some of these attacks are annoying but innocuous, other attacks are more serious and can wreak havoc online. Popular OSNs and webmail providers have adopted many security measures to halt the mass creation of fake accounts. However, their security measures are often rendered ineffective by the many tools available on underground marketplaces that allow unscrupulous individuals to cheaply acquire fake accounts in bulk.

The purpose of this paper is to study the mechanisms used by modern account creation programs and their overall effectiveness. This study analyzes the different ways in which these tools create fake accounts and how they manage to circumvent existing security measures. It also helps to get an insight into what websites do in order to handle fake accounts, both during the account sign-up process, as well as and after the fake accounts have been created. Tests that reveal the number of accounts that can be fabricated prior to an OSN's countermeasures and their longevity due to the inability of the OSN's detection mechanisms are presented. This study highlights whether major websites are following security best practices to mitigate fake account creation, and if existing security countermeasures are effective.


Andrew W. Fong
Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions and Enrollment

Northeastern University
College of Computer and Information Science
360 Huntington Avenue
202 West Village H
Boston, MA 02115
617-373-8493
a.fong at neu.edu

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