Facebook virus affects users

“Do you realize your Facebook picture is featured on bzserv.com?”

If you have received such a message on your Facebook homepage, you may have been exposed to a virus. Bzserv, along with Koobface and others, are a line of viruses that are infecting the computers of Facebook users.

Facebook is a social networking Web site that reports having 130 million active users, being the fourth most trafficked Web site and the most trafficked media site in the world.

Facebook officials have created a page to warn users of these viruses, as well as tell them how to remove it and clean their computers. It tells viewers that the Koobface worm can use their accounts as a channel for spreading spam to others by leaving a message on their “wall.”

PCWorld reports that when users who receive this message click on the URL, Koobface asks them to update their version of Flash player before they can see the video or picture. The virus is hidden in the supposed Flash player file and this is how the virus is spread. 

“They never got into my account, but a bunch of my friends had it and ended up all over my wall,” said freshman electronic media major Sarah Sterner.

She said she visited the Web site after she saw the post on her friend’s wall. She admits that it probably wasn’t the smartest path to take, but it led her to see that it was a virus.

In order to protect herself, Sterner changed her password, which is exactly what the Facebook help page instructs.

“I just thought of a really random password with a ‘higher strength,’” she said.

Strength of a password is determined by the length, use of capital and lowercase letters, use of numbers and use of special characters such as @,*, ?, etc.

In addition to new passwords, the help page advises users to beware of unknown senders, report spam and run a virus scan on their computer.

There are user-made groups on the site that list suggestions of how to avoid being infected with the virus, as well as how to remove it. There are various groups dedicated to the varying viruses.

Though they are unofficial recommendations, other users responded with success stories after following the advice.

Facebook’s official help page is located at www.new.facebook.com/security. The page gives a brief overview of several recent threats and gives advice on how to avoid being a target.

In addition, there is an Frequently Asked Questions section, a list of free online virus scanners and examples of what the spam looks like.

Have you been affected?

If spam has been sent from your account:

• Reset your Facebook password immediately. You can do this by clicking on the “Forgot Your Password?” link on the login page or by going to the Account Setttings page once logged in.

• Run a virus scan on your computer, as you may have inadvertently downloaded malware. Free virus scanners are posted in the “Resources” section of Facebook’s security page.

If you’ve seen spam sent from a friend’s account:

• Tell your friend to follow the steps above.

• Warn those who received the spam not to click on it, and to delete it from their Walls and Inboxes immediately.

Information from
www.facebook.com/security

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