Hello everyone,
Most of us have a Facebook or Tweeter account and the ideea behind these very popular sites is that you can keep track of your friends, what they are doing and what the latest trends are. We are able to find old friends and colleagues and even our grandparents find it useful and fun. Unfortunately though, through these sites we can become the target of ill intended persons.
Because this is a technical forum, we will not discuss about criminals who get to contact their victims through these sites. We will discuss about the impersonal but harmful scam and malware that is being broadcasted through the tools that are supposed to help us socialize.
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Clickjacking malware[/color]
A clickjacking attack is a type of cyber-scam that aims at tricking you into clicking a seemingly harmless link.
You should always be careful when you click!
I can not emphasize this enough. Before you make a click, make sure to look for the tale-tale signs of a scam:
A. The link.
The internet is built with servers (computers) and links (addresses that take you to a particular page on the server).
A link will always have the server address (in exmaple [url]
www.bullguard.com[/url]) and then it can have subpages (in example
https://www.bullguard.com/products.aspx).
If the link is valid, it will always have the correct server address, but make sure to look for the subpage you are taken to as well.
B. The request.
Look carefully at all the permissions an application requests. While this particular request may be valid, imagine what happens if the application is malicious. Suddenly the ill intended person has access to all my information and friends and
my pemission to use this information!
There is a saying: Do not think. If you think, do not say it. If you say it, do not write it. If you write it, do not sign it. If you signed it, do not be surprised! This situation is similar. Make sure that the application you are giving all these permissions to is valid, before you agree.
C. Like.
The most common type of malware used for clickjacking is the worm going viral via Facebook’s “Like” feature. It usually appears on friends’ profile accompanied by a high number of likes, which makes it a trustworthy item to click on. The result? The same thing is posted on your profile. This threat has hit Facebook under various skins – from links to scandalous video content, to “exclusive” footage of the latest events.
Note that Facebook chat is also propitious for spreading such links.
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Tweets carrying malware threats[/color]
Switching to the other social media giant, this kind of malicious links can also be spread throughout Twitter’s court via spambots – automated malware designed to assist in the sending of spam.
Cybercriminals cause these attacks by creating bogus Twitter accounts via which they start sending lots of tweets. Usually they are links to videos, pictures, even PC mending tools, which apparently are safe. Once you click on them, however, you go straight to a malicious site or your account starts sending the same tweet.
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How can I avoid such scams and computer malware infections?[/color]
It is always better to prevent any type of malware attacks. That’s why we strongly recommend you to:
* Be wary of any Facebook links containing words like “LOL!”, “OMG!” or “Amazing!”, as they most probably mask some kind of malware. If they are posted by your friends, then they might’ve fallen for a scam.
* Look at the link’s URL – if it’s a long catchy phrase connected by dashes, it’s best you don’t click on it.
* Have a look at the accounts following you on Twitter – if there’s one that follows you and thousands of other people and only posts affiliate links, it’s best to block it.
* Edit your profile’s settings, and keep it private. On Facebook you can “control how you connect with people you know”, and on Twitter, you can “protect your tweets” and allow only certain people to see your tweets.
* Get a comprehensive internet security suite installed on your PC that can easily spot, block and remove any type of malware. In this respect, BullGuard Internet Security is really the best “anti malware doctor removal tool” as it gathers the broadest line-up of internet security features, including firewall, antivirus and antiphishing.
I hope that this article, although a little long - sorry - helps you protect your social accounts, so that they provide the useful and fun experience they should.
More on this topic:
https://www.bullguard.com/bullguard-security-center/security-articles/malware-on-facebook-and-twitter.aspx