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Posts Tagged ‘Hacker (computer security)’

Visit the New Facebook scare spreads on Facebook

Published by pratyushkp on June 13th, 2011 - in Social, Technology

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Warnings are being posted across Facebook, warning users to beware messages from friends that invite them to “Visit the New Facebook”.

Although these messages are being shared by Facebook users with the best of intentions, the warning about the risk of being locked out of your own Facebook account may in fact be more of a nuisance than the alleged hacker attack itself.

Here’s a typical message seen on Facebook:

PLEASE RE-POST FOR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!THIS NOTICE IS DIRECTED TO EVERYONE WHO HAS A PAGE ON FACEBOOK: IF SOME PEOPLE IN YOUR PROFILE OR YOUR FRIENDS SEND YOU A LINK WITH WORDS "VISIT THE NEW FACEBOOK ' DO NOT OPEN! IF YOU OPEN IT YOU CAN SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR PAGE. IT'S A HACKER WHO STEALS YOUR DETAILS AND REMOVES YOU FROM YOUR OWN PAGE. COPY AND SPREAD THE WORD

However, Sophos researchers have found no evidence that the threat is real. We simply haven’t managed to uncover any reports of any users hit by such an attack.

As such, it appears that this is just the latest chainletter spreading across the social network. We’ve certainly seen plenty of similar examples of hoaxes spread by well-intentioned people in the past.

Remember, a genuine alert would be likely to contain a link to a legitimate security firm’s website – detailing the true nature of the threat.

Remember to always get your computer security advice from a computer security company. Friends may be well-intentioned in passing on warnings, but it’s always good to check your facts before forwarding them any further.

Source :- http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com

Visit the New Facebook? Hacker warning spreads like wildfire on social network (pratyushkp.wordpress.com)
Jason Allen / Amy Allen virus hoax spreads on Facebook (blogoholic.in)
Visit the New Facebook? Hacker warning spreads like wildfire on social network (blogoholic.in)
Facebook phishing: Can you spot the difference? (blogoholic.in)
Facebook Dislike button spreads fast, but is a fake – watch out! (pratyushkp.wordpress.com)
Spam from your Facebook account? Malware attack poses as official warning (pratyushkp.wordpress.com)
Rihanna and Hayden Panettiere sex video spreads Mac malware on Facebook (blogoholic.in)
Dad catches daughters on webcam: Beware viral Facebook video link (pratyushkp.wordpress.com)
Hottest & Funniest Golf Course Video scam spreads virally on Facebook – beware! (blogoholic.in)

Tags: Amy Allen, Betting in poker, chainletter, Computer security, Confidence trick, facebook, Getty Images, Hacker (computer security), Hayden Panettiere, Online Communities, Rihanna, social network, Sophos

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Visit the New Facebook? Hacker warning spreads like wildfire on social network

Published by pratyushkp on May 16th, 2011 - in Social, Technology

Image representing Facebook as depicted in Cru...

Image via CrunchBase

Facebook users are posting warnings to one another about a hacker operating on the network, using the offer to “Visit the new Facebook” to break into pages and kick out the page’s legitimate administrators.

Unfortunately the alerts do not include enough information to be useful, and members of the public may be unwittingly perpetuating a hoax in the belief that they are helping their friends, family and online chums avoid a nasty virus infection.

THIS NOTICE IS DIRECTED TO EVERYONE WHO HAS A PAGE ON FACEBOOK: IF SOME PEOPLE IN YOUR PROFILE OR YOUR FRIENDS SEND YOU A LINK WITH WORDS "VISIT THE NEW FACEBOOK '' AND THERE IS THE LINK BELOW, DO NOT OPEN! IF YOU OPEN IT YOU CAN SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR PAGE. IT'S A HACKER WHO STEALS YOUR DETAILS AND REMOVES YOU FROM YOUR OWN PAGE. COPY AND SPREAD THE WORD

Although there are many scams and attacks which spread on Facebook every day, no-one appears so far to actually have gathered any evidence that this one exists – and there is probably more nuisance being caused by users passing on the warning than by any attack which may or may not have happened.

Users believe they’re doing the right thing when they share warnings like this – but unfortunately they haven’t always checked their facts.

Please don’t share security warnings with your online friends until you have checked them with a credible source (such as an established computer security company). Threats can be killed off fairly easily, but misinformation like this can live on for months, if not years, because people believe they are “doing the right thing” by sharing the warning with their friends.

If you’re a regular user of Facebook, be sure to join the Sophos page on Facebook to be kept informed of the latest security threats.

Source :- http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com

Visit the New Facebook? Hacker warning spreads like wildfire on social network (nakedsecurity.sophos.com)
Facebook Dislike button spreads fast, but is a fake – watch out! (nakedsecurity.sophos.com)
Bobby Roberts hacker chain letter spreads quickly on Facebook (nakedsecurity.sophos.com)
Facebook spam prevention scam spreading like wildfire (go.theregister.com)
Dad catches daughters on webcam: Beware viral Facebook video link (pratyushkp.wordpress.com)
OMG Look What This Kid Did To His School Facebook Scam Spreading (techie-buzz.com)
Spam from your Facebook account? Malware attack poses as official warning (pratyushkp.wordpress.com)
Sophos urges Facebook to better protect its users (zdnet.com)
Heads up FB friends! New chain letter spreads on Facebook (nakedsecurity.sophos.com)
Spam from your Facebook account? Malware attack poses as official warning (nakedsecurity.sophos.com)