If you see this woman's knickers in your Facebook feed, don't click the link

[compl3x]

 

It may look 'alluring' but Bitdefender says this video is a scam. Screenshot: Bitdefender

Facebook users are being warned not to click on a link that looks like a video of a woman taking her clothes off on a webcam, as it could lead to them downloading a virus that will steal their personal data.

 

Online security firm Bitdefender issued the warning about the malware, which it believes was developed in Albania.

 

The link is designed to look like a YouTube video, but when clicked, leads them to sites that try to install the malicious software under the guise of an update to Adobe's Flash software.

 

?Scammers have created over 20,000 unique URLs that redirect victims to malicious websites and a fake alluring YouTube video, showing a woman taking her clothes off on a webcam,? said Bitdefender's chief security strategist Catalin Cosoi.

 

?The video seems to actually play for a couple of seconds to entice male users to click. Malware writers faked the number of views so the video seems to have been watched by over a million users.?

 

The hackers are using shortened URLs from internet service bit.ly to mask the malicious website addresses, although Bitdefender says it has notified the company about the issue.

 

Once installed, the Trojan.Agent.BDYV malware can work within browsers including Chrome and Firefox, tagging friends on Facebook and preventing infected users from deleting its posts from their timelines.

 

It's not the first virus to spread via Facebook. In May 2013, Bitdefender identified a new strain of the existing Dorkbot malware that was spreading through Facebook's chat feature, and capable of spying on victims' web browsing as well as stealing their personal details.

 

In January this year, rival Symantec warned of "Rest In Peace scams" on Facebook, with links seemingly to videos about a celebrity's death leading people to survey websites or malicious software downloads.

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/21/facebook-malware-bitdefender-steal-data

 

 

 

You've been warned.

[HawkMan]

Hmmm yeah, there's  thousands of such scam videos on Facebook with titles made to make you click them, then you have to log in to "Facebook" again. Can't warn about them all.

[Torolol]

why user do want to see the browser statusbar that shows where the click could to?

[cacoe]

why user do want to see the browser statusbar that shows where the click could to?

 

I think you mean why wouldn't the user just look at where the link takes them in the browser status bar.

 

And to that, I would say, if it looks legit, why would you even think about it?

 

Also, do all users even know where to look and what it means? Nope.

[Steven P. Administrators]

I do think it's odd that some of the stuff friends link appear to be scams (requiring Facebook permissions to view etc) I always close em off.

[JustGeorge]

I wish Facebook would be detected by AV/Malware vendors. It's a trojan for this stuff after all.

[FiB3R]

I think you mean why wouldn't the user just look at where the link takes them in the browser status bar.

 

And to that, I would say, if it looks legit, why would you even think about it?

 

Also, do all users even know where to look and what it means? Nope.

They are designed to look legit, but there are tell-tale signs. People will either spot these, or learn the hard way.

 

So eventually, people will realise that yes, you do have to think about it.

[cacoe]

They are designed to look legit, but there are tell-tale signs. People will either spot these, or learn the hard way.

 

So eventually, people will realise that yes, you do have to think about it.

 

Oh I'm not saying I wouldn't notice, it's like... I don't even know exactly what I'm looking for, but I can somehow tell if somethings fake.

 

The odd site that I download from (for legit apps) might trick me for a moment with a fake download button which is ten times bigger than the actual download button, but I've always noticed with the file name, or have been redirected to a totally obviously fake site.

 

Always go for the smallest download button :D

[+Warwagon MVC]

As if logging back into facebook "AGAIN" after clicking the link wouldn't be a big enough hint.

 

Although, here is where password managers shine.

 

In my case if I get to a Facebook login page I look up on top the roboform toolbar and see if it matched my Facebook card to this domain. If it hadn't instant warning sign!

 

Same for like paypal.com

[Pfino]

I wouldn't bother anyway,she's a fat arse