[GeoStL] Re: OT: Facebook Virus? How do they work?
- From: Jon Mertz <jemertz@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 14:45:59 -0500
From what I have seen and can deduce from there, they send a "link" that you
have to paste into your browser to get around the FB security, which looks
like a facebook page asking you to log in again (even though you're already
logged in) and when you give it your facebook credentials, they have them.
Not sure what it shows you after that, but it doesn't matter. They already
have your credentials, and can use a script to log into your account to send
out more spam messages and sucker more of your friends.
The one I saw today asked the user to install a "flash update" on a page
that looked like, but was not, YouTube. This I can only assume is a Spyware
app that would have installed itself on your computer and potentially stolen
credentials to anything you went to including Facebook, MySpace, your bank,
your E-mail account, etc.
If Shirley sent out the message, then her account has been hacked and she
needs to change her password ASAP, as does anyone who followed the link. For
anybody else reading this, if your account has ever done things (like
sending messages) without your doing it, then change your password. If you
have ever followed one of these links, or even think you might have then
change your password.
Regards,
Jon
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 2:21 PM, tnands <sydstyr@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Does anyone know or can anyone explain how FB viruses (virii?) work?
>
> For example...
> I have a few of you as FB friends. A couple of weeks ago someone from a
> geocaching account started to chat with me. It wasn't the person who owns
> that account. Now today, I had a message in the FB inbox from CW/Shirley
> that also wasn't from her. (I confirmed this with her). In the message was
> a link to something that I suspect was rather "Adult" on nature.
>
> Who has the problem? Me? Her? or FB? What are the odds that one or both of
> us now have something ugly living in our computers? My scans aren't picking
> anything up.
>
> I've googled FAcebook Virus etc but not sure what to trust.
>
> Has anyone have experience with this that they could just point us in the
> right direction.
>
> This could be in everyone's best interest. While I only have 5 cachers as
> friends, I can see that those 5 have a ton more.
>
> Nancy
>
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