MySpace and Facebook targeted by worm

by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Sunday, 03 August 2008

zoom

New worm spreads through Facebook and MySpace friend's lists says Kaspersky Lab (Getty Images).

Security company Kaspersky Lab is warning of a new worm that targets MySpace and Facebook users.

The worm variants are spread through the popular social networking sites, turning infected machines into zombies - PCs illicitly controlled by hackers to carry out tasks like denial of service attacks.

The Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface.a is activated when a user accesses their MySpace account, and is spread when it automatically comments on linked friend's sites. Facebook is targeted by Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface.b, which sends messages to the infected user's contacts through the Facebook site.

Story continues below ↓

Both worms then direct would-be victims to a bogus Youtube link, where they will then receive a message telling them that they need to install the latest version of Flash Player. Instead of downloading the latest version of Flash Player however, the link then installs the worm, which installs the Facebook version of the worm if the user visited the site from MySpace, and vice versa, to increase the infection rates from the worm.

Alexander Gostev, senior virus analyst at Kaspersky Lab commented: "Unfortunately, users are very trusting of messages left by ‘friends' on social networking sites. So the likelihood of a user clicking on a link like this is very high. At the beginning of 2008 we predicted that we'd see an increase in cybercriminals exploiting MySpace, Facebook and similar sites, and we're now seeing evidence of this. I'm sure that this is simply the first step, and that virus writers will continue to target these resources with increased intensity."

For news updates sign up for our newsletter

READERS' COMMENTS

Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.

a question about the virus
Posted by jen on Wednesday 6 August 2008 at 20:39 UAE time

Hi,

So i received this message from a friend in my Facebook account. I clicked on the link but DID NOT click on the link to install the latest version of flash player. Does it mean that I have still have the virus/ worm? What can I do to get it off my computer if I have it?

Editor's reply: Scanning your PC with up-to-date anti-virus software should find the worm and provide instructions on how to remove the worm. If you don't have an up-to-date AV solution, then there are free trial versions available online, including Kaspersky's own AV software at http://www.kaspersky.com/trials.

..Lucky not to use Facebook 'still'..
Posted by Kaptain Mirza, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 6 August 2008 at 18:51 UAE time

I'm lucky not to be using Facebook still..
just a waste of time..

Orkut was better but its closed..tracked quite a lot of friends from there..

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment
All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.

Name *

Remember me on this computer

Email *

(Your email address will not be published)

City

Country

Subject *

Comment *

Notify me of further comments