Rogue malware attacks Facebook users

 

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Posted on 2 Mar 2009 at 12:11

Security experts have warned Facebook users to guard against a malicious third-party application that exploits recent widespread interest over changes to the site??s terms of use.

The malware, dubbed "F a c e b o o k -- closing down!!!" sends messages to everyone in a Facebook user's contact list, encouraging recipients to also add the malicious applications. Unwitting users who fall for the scam will expose their profiles and personal information to the scammers.

The bogus notification messages claim that a friend has reported the victim for violating Facebook's terms of service. A typical message sent by the "F a c e b o o k -- closing down!!!" application reads as follows:

"[Friend's name] has just reported you to Facebook for violating our Terms of Service. - This is your official warning! - Click here to find out why you were reported! - Request Facebook look at what has happened and rule immediatley."

By clicking on the link, the victim not only allows the hackers to access his or her profile and personal information, but also unwittingly forwards the bogus message to all of their Facebook friends.

"Fans of Facebook will no doubt be aware that the site has been under scrutiny over its terms of service, and these latest attacks are designed to take full advantage of that," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

He went on to criticise Facebook for not adequately vetting third-party applications before they are made available to users of the social networking site.

"Even as Facebook stamps out one malicious application, another can pop up like a poisoned mushroom with a different name. It sounds like this could be a new favoured trick being used by spammers and identity thieves to build up their databases of intended targets. My advice to Facebook users is to think very carefully before adding any new applications," said Cluely.

Facebook has since removed the application, but there are reports that similar rogue applications with names such as "My account" and "Reported For Rule Breaking" are currently circulating on the popular social networking site.

The warning comes less than a week after another rogue third-party application called "Error Check System" sent messages to Facebook users claiming that there was a problem with their profiles, sending concerned users to malicious websites as they searched for information.

Author: Robert Jaques