Virus in Social-networking Site Facebook is Troubling Users

So far, nuisance has been caused to e-mail accounts with phishing scams and viruses all over the world. Today, it's social-networking websites that are apparently opening doors for spam along with other online applications that cause destruction.

Jourdan Perla, an IT expert at UC Davis said that many people become trapped as viruses target social-networking websites, as per the news published by News10 on April 22, 2010.

Online sites devoted to social networking are increasing. With websites like MySpace and Facebook increasing, unpredictable dangers have begun to emerge. Consequently, this demonstrates the way technology can progress at a pace which's quicker than that of society responding to it.

Presently, a highly visited social-networking website is Facebook. It has more than 400m members and is continuously expanding. Facebook, along with plenty of other similar websites, utilize third party software, which work as a tool or game for interaction. However, this software can surreptitiously gather personal data without drawing the user's attention.

According to the security researchers, one virus presently aiming at users of social networks is apparently targeting Facebook. The malware arrives through a particular wall post which somebody from the victim's contacts appears to send. Notably, that sender is usually completely unaware of this wall post. Actually, all the involved accounts are likely hijacked prior to the dispatch of the message.

Perla explains that the message as such does not contain the virus, rather there's a link in the message that leads onto a virus or a contaminated website.

Nevertheless, Sophos, the security software firm lately issued a report that reveals how FramVille or FarmTown, a Facebook gaming software is exhibiting advertisements containing virus-contaminated Web-links. The advertisements tell the user that his PC is infected with malware and that he must scrutinize it further as they suggest related
websites that are actually malicious.

Meanwhile, given the nature of the virus, the malware may destroy a user's hard drive. However, protection is possible by ensuring that the user has installed the latest edition of Web-browser. Moreover, he should be careful with any video link or message, which seems odd, even if their sender is a trustworthy person.

Related article: Virus Infects Through USB Drives

» SPAMfighter News - 5/4/2010