Viruses Threaten Facebook Users

PRODUCER McAfee security solutions issued a warning to more than 120 million users of social networking site Facebook.

McAfee revealed, Facebook has been infected with a virus named Koobface. The virus is able to steal information such as credit card data users Facebook.

"Facebook users have to keep applying the principles of safe computing that have been taught since 10 years ago, which should never open an attachment from an e-mail sent people not known," said McAfee researcher Craig Schmugar.

When the PC (personal computer) a Facebook user already infected Koobface, the Koobface read the user's buddy list. Koobface then multiply by sending an e-mail with a copy of itself to the user's friends who have been infected. Duplication process is of course unknown user since happens automatically and confidential.

Chain reaction ensued. Duplication and infections continue to occur when the unsuspecting user opens Facebook attachmentyang contain the virus. Users who lay the difficulty to detect the virus threat because the virus is disguised as a file named flash_player.exe.

"The virus is persuading users to click on attachments, saying that the user Flash Player is out of date. When the fake update claiming to come from Adobe Systems Inc. is clicked, the user's PC was infected.

When Facebook users have been infected, then every time a user tries to open the search sites like Google, Yahoo, MSN, Live.com, the user is directed other sites that have been contaminated.

Facebook spokesperson Barry Schnitt admitted that he had to know the spread of the virus Koobface through these social networking sites. Schnitt also recognize that a small number of Facebook users already infected.

"Several other viruses have also tried to reproduce themselves through Facebook," said Schnitt.

Schnitt added that this was not the first attempt of the virus to spread itself Koobface through Facebook. In the past August, the first variant of the virus Koobface have tried to spread itself through the site but managed to cut down by Facebook.

Schmugar revealed, social networking site into a new vehicle for the spread of the virus because of the social networking site users tend to decrease vigilance when accepting attachmentdari fellow users. Because, they think site social networking sites have strong security system.

An example is Facebook. Social networking site that requires first sending a message to members before you can post messages and those who do not become members of Facebook can not open a Facebook member data. Security system that makes Facebook users are not convinced that the virus will be spread through Facebook.

However, the facts speak different. One of the infected Facebook users Koobface is Chief Executive Officer of RLM Public Relations Richard Larmer. He admitted that he had rid her PC infected Koobface.

"My computer Koobface destroyed after being infected," said Larmer.

Facebook was not the first social networking sites infected with the virus. In August, MySpace social networking site owned by News Corp. also infected early Koobface variants. However, MySpace managed to eradicate the virus so that no longer spread.

"The spread Koobface through Facebook is evidence that the virus makers Koobface continuously update and add to the functionality of the virus. Unfortunately, until now the virus makers Koobface has not been found," said Schmugar.