Security Experts Alert Facebook Users Of Dangerous Malware

By Author: eccuni
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Security researchers have identified a new and highly sophisticated Trojan.FakeAV.LVT, which tricks Facebook users to open a video link, which downloads malware in their computers. The scam, first identified by security researchers at BitDefender attempts to entice people to believe that a video related to them is concerning is circulating on YouTube. Users may have no reason to doubt the authenticity of the video as it contains comments from their friends. According to security researchers, the video even contains the full name of the user in title as it appears in the Facebook page. When users attempt to watch the video, the malware prompts them to install an updated version of the Flash Player. Users who attempt to install the flash player to view the video inadvertently download a fake anti-virus.

The striking feature of the fake anti-virus is its ability to imitate 16 major security software products. The fake security software requires users to re-start the system to complete the installation process. On re-boot, the fake security software replaces the genuine anti-virus solution installed in the computer. The latest ...
... malware again highlights the ability of the cybercriminals to create sophisticated malware to defraud Internet users. Scammers tend to alter their modus operandi to make users believe the genuineness of their claims through video, links, surveys or e-mail attachments. In this case, the fake security software is also capable of displaying the messages in the local language, the genuine application is configured to display. Professionals need to continuously keep track of the latest threats in the cyber space through following security blogs, participating in IT security conferences and also enhance their capabilities through online university degree programs.

Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter have become the favorite hunting ground for cybercriminals. The growing number of online communities also adds to diverse ways through which scammers may target Internet users. Professionals qualified in masters of security science may help businesses in making timely assessment of various social engineering threats in the IT environment and devise corrective measures.

Internet users, while making use of the tremendous opportunities available on the cyber space for networking, communicating and interacting must adhere to the basic tenets of cyber security to safeguard their computer systems and personally identifiable information. They must avoid the tendency to falling prey to attractive schemes of scammers and be extremely wary of clicking on banner advertisements, third party links on legitimate sites and suspicious links on social media sites and those arriving through e-mails. Distance learning and online degree programs may help netizens to gain understanding of cyber security fundamentals.