India warns users of Facebook and Twitter of malware

New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) India has warned the users of
social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter
of a virus that is spreading through these sites targeting the
members.

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), under
the Department of Information Technology, the apex body that
monitors Internet security threats in the country, said a new
worm 'Koobface' is propagating through social networking sites
such as Facebook, MySpace, hi5, Bebo and Twitter.

CERT said the virus is spreading by sending spam
containing a message with a link to a video to people on these
sites.

The virus is particularly dangerous as it uses the
infected machine to target other systems and distribute
additional malware, generate 'pay per click' advertising
revenue and steal sensitive data, CERT said on its website.

The Koobface works by taking control of social networking
sites and spamming friends with messages containing links to
sites that lead to malware traps.

Once the link is clicked, it redirects the user to a
website designed to mimic YouTube (but is actually named
YuoTube), which asks the user to install an executable (.EXE)
file to be able to watch the video.

Security firm Trend Micro said social networks such
as Facebook and Twitter have become prime targets of cyber
criminals due to easy access of personal information on these
sites.

As more and more people are communicating through social
networks, they are fast becoming more viable platform for
criminals to carry on with their fraudulent activities, it
added. PTI PML
DDC