Evaluating privacy threats in deployed OSNs: A case study on PTMOL

Background: The growth of Online Social Networks (OSNs) has significantly expanded opportunities for interaction and information sharing, while also introducing increasing challenges to user privacy protection. The exposure of sensitive data and the misuse of shared information on these platforms highlight the need for effective methodologies to identify and mitigate privacy threats. Purpose and Methods: In this context, this study investigates the application of the PTMOL methodology to identify and describe privacy threats in already deployed OSNs, aiming to demonstrate its versatility in threat modeling. Results: The results indicate that PTMOL is well-suited for structuring the identification of privacy threats, providing a detailed view of the vulnerabilities present in the analyzed platform. The comparison between modeled threats and documented incidents further reinforces PTMOL’s ability to anticipate real-world risks. Conclusion: As a contribution, this study validates PTMOL’s applicability as a valuable approach for assessing threats in deployed OSNs, extending its use beyond the design phase. The impact of this research extends to strengthening privacy protection strategies and assisting researchers, developers, and policymakers in adopting more effective measures to ensure safer and more transparent digital environments.