Viruses/Worms News

Facebook phishing attack contains Bredolab malware

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Facebook users should be on the alert for a phishing attack that appears to come from Facebook itself for a password reset. Phony spam emails from the Bredolab botnet are tricking Facebook users into downloading a Trojan malware.

The cyber attackers are criminals with servers based in the Netherlands and Kazakhstan, according to Websense, the web security firm. The Facebook phishing attack comes from a botnet of hacked computers called Bredolab.

The sending address on the spam emails uses support@facebook.com "to make the messages believable to recipients," Websense reported. The emails have an attached file that, if opened and clicked, downloads the Trojan that takes over a victim's PC.

Facebook has come under increased scrutiny over the past year due to the steady stream of cyber attacks and phishing scams spreading across its expanding network.

The Facebook security team advises users to check their PCs for viruses using free antivirus scanners if they believe they have fallen victim to an attack. Facebook says users whose Facebook accounts are sending spam can change the domain name server of their PC using OpenDNS.