'Dislike' Button Scam Rapidly Propagating on Facebook

Security researchers at the security firm Sophos have lately revealed that, Facebook scammers are scamming users into pasting rogue code into their web browser's address bars to get a Dislike button added to their options.

The spam messages published by victims say "Facebook now has a dislike button! Click 'Enable Dislike Button' to turn on the new feature!"

The scammers are making use of a hoax to substitute the Share link that is visible under the message with an "Enable Dislike Button" one. If anybody clicks the link, spam message will be shared from the user's account to all their contacts and friends. However, it also runs malicious code on their systems.

Cautioning the netizens, Graham Cluley, Senior Technology Consultant at Sophos stated that, as they had explained earlier, there is no formal or authorized dislike button offered by Facebook and wasn't ever probable to be. He further added that, however it remains something that several Facebook users would like, and thus scammers generally utilized the offer of a 'Dislike button' to scam the innocent netizens, as reported by Global Tvbc on May 18, 2011.

Another scam utilizing the Dislike button attraction is circulating by prompting users to paste malicious JavaScript code into their web browser's address bar.

This tactic is low-tech and should create a whole lot of doubt, but still, numerous users are falling prey to this scam.

Commenting on the above mentioned spam campaigns, which are circulating rogue code in the procedure of their execution, Fred Wolens, Spokesman, Facebook stated that, the spammers have redrafted their actions or activities so that it evades Facebook's scam identification system," as reported by ebrandz on May 18, 2011.

Fred further added that, netizens should be cautious and spread awareness. Users must ensure that their friends should be careful of the messages and alerts posted on their walls. He stated that, if someone receives such kind of messages, then he should immediately hide it or mark as spam. Marking the message as spam might be a better option as users can then help Facebook enhance its security from the future prospects.

Conclusively, Wolens stated that, Facebook is learning and enhancing the situation with every single new spam campaign and repetition of its defenses.

Related article: “Loopholes did not cause online banking thefts”: ICBC

» SPAMfighter News - 5/27/2011