If one of your contacts has sent you a video via Facebook Messenger, do not open it! Kaspersky Lab reveals that a dangerous malware targeting Windows PCs, Linux and Macs is spreading via social network messaging sevice. Experts believe that malware managers are using compromised Facebook accounts to spread their software.
Facebook messenger
Warning: a new malware targeting Windows, Linux and Mac computers is spreading on Facebook. According to Kaspersky Labs, many people are currently receiving messages from their Facebook contacts to open a link on Messenger. The message takes the form [your first name] video + smiley + a bit.ly link, which probably allows them to reach as many people as possible whatever the language.
It would seem, according to Kaspersky that the intention of its managers is to generate immense revenues via an advertising spamming campaign. The URL redirects the victim to a Googledoc that displays a preview of dynamically generated video from the sender’s Facebook images. If you click on it, of course, no video will start. You would then land on a custom page depending on your operating system and web browser.
For example, users of Google Chrome on Windows are directed to a site that has the appearance of Youtube. A false error message appears, prompting the victim to download a malicious extension from the Google Web Store. This extension allows the attacker to send programs to the target computer. Other variants use the Flash Player update window to induce you to launch a malware program on Mac and Linux.
Again the aim seems to be mainly advertising, i.e. you get set up an adware that generates a lot of money through advertising. But the method has something to worry about, since after all yours does not forbid attackers to remotely install programs that steal your data, or a ransomware. The best advice to protect yourself is to keep your virus definitions up to date, and check with your friends the links they send before clicking on them.
