How to Avoid a Virus on Facebook
Is it possible for apps and games on Facebook to carry a virus?
There is a threatening bug that is traveling via Facebook which can cause severe damage to your computer. This monster gets around by making itself appear as though it is a personal message from a Facebook friend. If you receive a private message from a close trusted friend asking you to check out a funny video or even a video of their self are you likely to click it? After all, you know and trust this person. You wouldn’t expect them to send you anything harmful right?
So, you click on the link and nothing happens, or so it seems. You may reply to your friend and say something like “I couldn’t get the video to play” and your friend may come back with “what video?”. From what I have heard some people don’t notice anything until after they restart their computer. I have also heard of people who’s computer reacted by going to the “blue screen”, shutting off on its own, suddenly getting very slow then growing worse… Commonly the operating system does not load correctly and the user cannot access short cuts, files, settings, or programs.
Avoid a Virus on Facebook!
If you receive a message from a friend asking you to click a link of any kind (or one that includes any sort of attachment) and you are not absolutely certain about the nature of that link be sure to communicate with your friend BEFORE clicking the link.
Remember! Generally people get these bugs inadvertently and mean no harm to you. In fact they are usually not even aware that these links are going out appearing to be from them. So if you receive something like this be sure to let your friend know about it.
My own opinion is that Facebook apps and games may carry a virus/worm/trojan. There are so many of these “like” and “quiz” etc. infinitum… apps and it is not possible to determine the safety of all of them. New ones are appearing nearly every day and on some folks profile pages all you will see are miles and miles of apps and games.
Generally speaking, the purpose of an app is to promote awareness and traffic for a particular website or company, hence the link to the site when the ‘thing’ appears on a profile. Even an app that is used on a phone or other device is intended to coax us into visiting a website. Many apps are well trusted and known to be safe. I am not advocating that apps be completely ignored but I am stressing the importance of not just clicking away blindly and accepting every app request you receive.
While it is most always perfectly acceptable and safe to “Like” a page that actually resides on Facebook.com precaution should be taken when “Liking” something on an external website. If the website is not trusted you should consider carefully before clicking that “Like” button.
While I have been talking about this from the perspective of Facebook the principles will apply to other social networking sites. Walk carefully and wisely down that click filled path my friend.
Written by D. Slone, Copyright 2010
Related:
Don’t Be Click Happy Avoid a Virus on Facebook
Comments are open so feel free to reply below if you have thoughts, experiences, or advice about the subject:
Whenever an app shows up on my page I go straight to the “x” on the right side and I block that particular app. Nothing personal against anyone but I just block as many of them as it will allow.
Excellent article and good points made. Thanks for spreading the information about it!
Watch out for emails pretending to be from Facebook. For example I just received one claiming to be from Facebook:
—-
A spam is sent from your Facebook account.
Your password has been changed for safety.
Information regarding your account and a new password is attached to the letter.
Read this information thoroughly and change the password to complicated one.
Thank you for your attention,
Facebook Service.
—
This email is NOT from Facebook, do not open any attachments nor click on any links in an email like this.
Status seen on Facebook – “I rarely ever copy and paste a status but had to do this one – Listen up! No one is Peeking at your Profile, or checking your ex or tagging your mug shot… or really wants to know if you are hot or not Except HACKERS & SCAMS loaded with VIRUSES wanting you to click on them or hit the Like button! They will HACK into your accounts and raise havoc.. STOP CLICKING ON THAT GARBAGE!”
Whenever you see one of those quizzes, or someone answered questions about you, or “See who thinks your hot” or “Find out who’s been viewing your profile” on and on for about gazillion more – you should simply click the little “x” to the right and select “hide” or “block”. Anytime you click “Like” or “Share” and a box comes up asking if you want to share your profile information hit CANCEL unless you are absolutely sure about the origination of that app.