Social Media Marketing News
Viruses Thrive on Social Networking |
03 November 2009 |
A year ago, Facebook users were infected with viruses through an invitation email to a link to the so-called "video about you". Some months later, another malware* surfaced in the disguise of a Facebook Fans Check. Now, the cyber crooks wield another new devise, a Facebook password confirmation email to steal your id and passwords. Upon clicking the email, a Trojan horse will obtain your personal information and transfer a host of malicious files from the Internet to your computer.
While Facebook appears a hotbed for malicious software, the spread of virus on Facebook is not an isolated case. Hacking like this occurs from time to time, ranging from identify theft to turning computers into a "zombie" machine. It unveils the reality about social networking that it has now become the new breeding ground for viruses. The threat of spasm and malware lies not in the different forms it evolves to be, but in the way it is spread. The strategy is directed to our most vulnerable spot - the various kinds of social networks where netizens let down their guard the most in order to interact with friends the best.
Fan checks or fake videos become traps by appealing to people's vanity. But what secures the success for hackers are people's trust and comfort towards the social networks - an asset that hackers can't wait to exploit. While installing up-to-date anti-virus programs can help protect one's computer, one still needs to seek a balance between embracing active exchanges with friends online and imposing self-seclusion on the virtual social networks.
*malware - the short form for malicious software
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