Is Facebook's Developer Tools Block a Real Solution to Scams?

How Facebook Disables Browser Developer Tools to Safeguard Against Scams

In an effort to combat rampant scams, Facebook has implemented a measure to block the browser's built-in Developer Tools. This move has drawn attention, with some experts claiming it is technically impossible. However, Facebook has demonstrated otherwise.

The Blocking Mechanism

Facebook effectively disables Developer Tools by overriding the console's commandLineAPI property. This is achieved by defining the property as a getter that throws an error when accessed.

Object.defineProperty(console, '_commandLineAPI',
   { get : function() { throw 'Nooo!' } })

This prevents any code executed in the console from being executed.

Why the Blocking?

The motivation behind Facebook's action is to protect users from sophisticated social engineering attacks. Scammers often lure victims into pasting malicious JavaScript code into the browser console, which can result in account hijacking or other harmful consequences.

Chrome's Bug Fix and Additional Protection

However, Chrome's team identified blocking the console from user-side JS as a bug and patched it. To further safeguard users, Facebook implemented additional measures to prevent self-xss, where users are tricked into executing malicious code in their own browser.

Implications

Facebook's approach highlights the concern over client-side attacks but also raises questions about the effectiveness of such measures. While temporarily blocking Developer Tools can mitigate immediate threats, it does not address the underlying problem of preventing malicious code from being executed in the first place. It remains to be seen whether additional security measures will be employed to address the issue more comprehensively.

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