Malware attacks via Facebook

Facebook admitted that up to 1800 users had had their profiles defaced by an attack that secretly installed a Trojan while displaying an animated graphic of a court jester blowing a raspberry.

Facebook members are also receiving messages from friends hacked accounts via the social network, linking to third-party websites designed to infect the recipient’s
computer. Hackers have found value in compromising Facebook accounts, stealing usernames and passwords, and then using the profiles as a launching pad for massdistributing malware attacks and spam.



There are also third-party Facebook applications designed to present irritating pop-up adverts. However, these appear to have become less of a threat since Facebook changed its user interface, making third-party applications less prominent.


See also Find and Remove Malware