We've learned not to open attachments from unknown sources or click on links in questionable email. Social network users now need to pay attention to a new virus that's being spread through social networks.
This doesn't mean you should become an alarmist - just use common sense when you get messages through your social networking site.
The Facebook Virus Spreads - No Social Network is Safe - NYTimes.com
The original article was posted on Read Write Web last month.
For deeper information on computer security, RWW has a post on security threats for 2009.
This doesn't mean you should become an alarmist - just use common sense when you get messages through your social networking site.
The Facebook Virus Spreads - No Social Network is Safe - NYTimes.com
"Koobface" is the name of the Trojan worm that's been making its way through the social networking site Facebook lately,
but to the site's users, it's been simply known as "the Facebook
virus." That name will soon become a misnomer, though, because the worm is now spreading outside of Facebook's walls to attack other social networks like Bebo, MySpace, Friendster, MyYearbook, and Blackplanet.
...
What's frightening about the spread of this Trojan is not the worm itself - it's really nothing new in terms of malware - but the way its being spread. Over the years people have learned to be suspicious of unknown links and attachments in their emails, so the virus writers turned to hit us where we're more vulnerable: on our social networks. Here, many people still have a feeling of comfort and security. They don't always have their guard up.
...
You should also keep an eye on Facebook's security page which warns of the latest threats.
...
What's frightening about the spread of this Trojan is not the worm itself - it's really nothing new in terms of malware - but the way its being spread. Over the years people have learned to be suspicious of unknown links and attachments in their emails, so the virus writers turned to hit us where we're more vulnerable: on our social networks. Here, many people still have a feeling of comfort and security. They don't always have their guard up.
...
You should also keep an eye on Facebook's security page which warns of the latest threats.
The original article was posted on Read Write Web last month.
For deeper information on computer security, RWW has a post on security threats for 2009.
