Does anyone care about LinkedIn password breach?

The tagline of this blog is "shaping your online identity to balance community with privacy".  The report that 6.5 million SHA-1 unsalted password hashes claimed to be from LinkedIn hasn't "lit up the phone lines" so far.  Yes there are hundreds of Tweets reposting the news with some cynicism.  It is too early to tell why the reaction of the community has been so limited.   But with over 160 million LinkedIn members (end of Q1 2012), everyone should be aware how your online identity could be altered where it matters most - your business network.  You could be one of the 1 in 25 members whose password has been exposed.  We should be on the lookout for unexpected invitations.

A social media network thrives upon a community knowing that the host protects them from unwanted relationships.  I am a bit surprised that a social media company has had a decidedly unsocial response.  Here are the four (yes only four tweets) in the first 17 hours from @LinkedIn since the news broke.



It is late at night as I write this so one probably doesn't expect much.  However, I would like to believe that the company is working hard at the problem.  Perhaps there hasn't been much outcry from LinkedIn members yet.  This is partly because the LinkedIn website has no mention of a problem.

Interestingly, security researchers seem to be ahead of the game.  @SophosLabs suggested changing your password four hours ahead of LinkedIn.


Why the low key response?  cnbc.com suggests LinkedIn stock is teflon so despite 1 in 25 of its customers at potential risk, such a security problem isn't being taken seriously.  Sophos Labs has a blog post explaining what LinkedIn meant by "passwords that are reset will now be stored in salted hashed format".  LinkedIn closes its blog post announcing the breach with "We take the security of our members very seriously" but apparently not enough to salt its hash until being breached.
What about us? It seems we need our social communities these days so one either protects oneself as much as you can (you did change your LinkedIn password?) within the network or pay the opportunity cost of loss connections by leaving the network.  Either way there is a price to pay.

Social Technologies One of Drivers of Workplace Skills Shift

My previous post addressed the role of social media architect.  The Future Work Skills 2020 report identifies five drivers that will change the workplace: extreme longevity, computational world, rise of smart machines and systems, new media ecology, globally connected world and superstructed organization.  The latter represents "social technologies drive new forms of production and value creation".

The graphic shows how these drivers are inter-twined with each other for a particular skill.  For those involved in social media, even four of these drivers are making it a challenge to process all that is available: computational world, new media ecology, globally connected world and superstructed organization.  The color coded skills (circles) show what drivers are driving the demand for skills.

Photo Credit: IFTF Future Work Skills 2020

I use several teaching approaches to help embody some of these future (actually now) skills in my undergraduate social media classroom: comparative case exam and a data-intensive social media management strategy final project.  These help in several skills: social intelligence, new media literacy, and cognitive load management - probably others as well.  The course is co-taught by a marketing instructor and myself (information systems) so trans-disciplinarity is embedded as well.

The report is thought provoking especially in regards to the classroom experience.  Thanks to my colleague Imad ElHajj for pointing it out.

Myth of a Social Media Architect (or Not)

A recent Tweet exclaimed Ridiculous job title of the week: "Social Media Architect". I don't even think ....  Let's dig into that statement.

Infoworld.com (14Jun11) says that Hot IT Job #3 is "Social Media Architect".  The first sentence says:

Social Web tools and services are now entering business at every level, from back-office IT communications to top-floor business collaboration, partner-connected workflow, and public-facing customer support. As the complexity of social business grows, companies need specialists to make it all work.

Here are some recent job posts (shortened for brevity):

Lead Technical Architect-Social Media Integration via Ivyexec/Simply Hired
Global Financial Transactions Company | Phoenix, AZ

This position is responsible for the technical and architectural direction of the set of applications within the Global Merchant Services Sales and Marketing portfolio, integrating social media, mobile and distributed applications. Will also provide consulting expertise, leveraging business and technical knowledge to support business strategies and deliver business value. ...

Lead Technical Architect-Social Media Integration-1115184
American Express

This position is responsible for the technical and architectural direction of the set of applications within the Global Merchant Services Sales and Marketing portfolio, integrating social media, mobile and distributed applications.  Will also provide consulting expertise, leveraging business and technical knowledge to support business strategies and deliver business value.

The successful candidate will:

    Play an integral role in defining and enhancing the infrastructure required to support the applications in terms of robustness, scalability, availability and efficiency.
    Work with Technical and Business Architects and partners, to ensure developments support the business and IT strategic plan.   .....

Social Media Architect via StartUpLy
RealtyCloud Network

Are you a talented Social Media expert who understands, and can demonstrate, how social media is revolutionizing the business landscape? ....

...  We are looking for the seasoned LEADER, a social architect, who knows how to connect with the customer of the future… the customer who has become the influential stakeholder.

This role will complement an experienced team that we have assembled for the implementation of the Interactive Media Platform. ....

Additional non-technical advantages would be:

• Experience in the Digital Media/Broadcast Industries
• Interactive Advertising Knowledge
• The Ability to Network and bring in Additional Funding
• Social Media Marketing Experience
• Interested in being Successful

Digital Architect / Project Manager (Web / Social Media)
Sogeti USA

Sogeti USA is growing in Web and Social Media and in need of experienced Digital Architect / Project Managers that have the following experience:

Development and maintenance of digital strategy as technologist.

Solution architecture and oversight of web development for businesses through coordination with Enterprise sales & Marketing. Proactively make data led recommendations for successful implementation of changes.

 Understanding of digital advertising and search efforts. Coordinate online research related to website usage and online guest surveys. Conduct customer research to identify behaviors and trends as it pertains to the digital space. Conduct analysis on results to optimize customer interaction and business impact.

Advise Marketing of paid media and search keywords needed for web related projects; SEM (Search Engine Marketing), Aggregator Adverting, SOE (Search Engine Optimization) and other Digital Marketing aspects. 

Work with client marketing team members and information architects, creative directors and technical architects to drive the creation of strategies and development of IT solutions

.....

 Some distinctions are coalescing on terms.  Consider the social media architect versus social media developer by Mike Manuel back in 2008.  Some words of wisdom from SEOe.com blog on the role of a social media architect.  For those less tech-savvy, a social media management strategy has been overlooked (in my opinion - that's I teach a course on it).

What is the future of a social media architect?  Looks pretty good if you ask me.