Malware that Targets Facebook Users

With more than 675 million users worldwide as of May 2011, Facebook has become a prime target for cyber criminals. Whether they embed malware in Facebook links or in email messages that route you to malware-embedded sites, cyber criminals use rogue applications to steal Facebook users' information. If criminals are able to gather enough data to log in to accounts with stolen identifies, they can gather even more personal information and do more damage later. It is import to keep your antivirus software updated to protect your information.

Several malware schemes have targeted Facebook users since 2008. Perhaps the most famous worm devised to attack Facebook and other social networking sites was Koobface, which appeared in late 2008 and then reappeared in early 2009. This malware spread by encouraging friends of Facebook users to visit a third-party website where they could download an updated version of Adobe Flash. Attempting to download that fake update resulted in a malware infection designed to convert computers into zombie systems within a botnet controlled by the Koobface creator.

Another type of malware designed to target Facebook users was developed to dupe people into using a false JavaScript for inviting Facebook friends to events. Originally, the malware appeared online as a “suggest to friends” JavaScript that purported to help Facebook users invite multiple people to events with one click. However, the script's address downloaded malware that collected friend lists and took over pages administered by the Facebook user.

More recently, in early 2010, a Facebook scam zoomed through email networks, falsely telling Facebook users that their information had been reset and that their passwords were required to reinstate their Facebook accounts. An attachment in the unsolicited email delivered malware designed to steal usernames and passwords, including those used for online banking and other sensitive personal accounts.

You can learn several lessons from the history of malware that targets Facebook users. The most basic protection against intrusive viruses begins with careful review of email messages and links. Since Facebook capitalizes on the trust between friends and colleagues, malware developers take advantage of that trust and use it when sending fake messages with links to malware. Never open a suspicious email message, even if it appears to be from a friend, and alert your friends if you receive something from them that looks unusual or threatening.

Next, look closely at the shortened links you find on social networking sites. A site called Expand My URL will help you see the full link you’d like to visit so you can make sure it isn’t malicious. Links with lots of random characters or links that lead you to unusual pages outside of Facebook should be considered suspicious.

Finally, malware that targets Facebook users takes greater advantage of systems that are unprotected. You should keep your browser as up to date as possible, and when operating system updates become available for your computer, you should install them.

Again, keep your antivirus and antimalware protections up to date. It’s best to have both types of software, since some viruses can avoid detection by antivirus software. In cases like these, antimalware scans can detect and remove all parts of an infection, including malware that targets Facebook users.

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