14 DAY TRIAL // The worm that we previously reported on as being the latest threat to Facebook and MySpace community has been eliminated, as users can no longer click on malicious links. Max Kelly, Head of Security at Facebook, assures that at least Facebook users can forget about the danger and put it behind them.
"We spent most of last night working on a fix for a worm, which was targeting people on Facebook and placing messages on Walls urging users to view a video that pretends to be hosted on a Google or YouTube website. We've identified and blocked the ability to link to the malicious websites from anywhere on Facebook." the official said in a blog post. He added that, although panic spread across the network, only 0.002% of the users of the social network were affected by the worm.
The malware was disguised in a fake Flash Player update. Users were told that they needed the latest version of the product in order to see certain videos with catchy subjects, such as "You must see it!!! LOL. My friend caught you on hidden cam," or "Paris Hilton Tosses Dwarf On The Street". Some could not resist the temptation and downloaded the executable file that put their computers at hijackers' disposal.
"The security team is always happy when we see spammers complain that it is too hard to make a profit from Facebook. We're also happy when we hear from our users that they consider us a safer place to be online." added Kelly. To prevent further attacks, users are advised on how to react when coming across something that looks out of the ordinary. They must report any spam messages and must be careful around their online friends. "Finally, just as in your off line community, be aware of your surroundings in your online community. If a user doesn't seem right, or says or posts something that you feel is threatening or inappropriate, report it to us." the Head of Security at Facebook explained.