- A Facebook virus is reportedly on the loose, one that could possibly empty out your bank account. (Photo: Creative Commons)
Be wary of those random, enticing links that you see on Facebook. They could be hiding a malicious virus with the potential to bleed your bank account dry.
A six-year-old Trojan virus named Zeus, which has already infected millions of U.S. computers, has resurfaced on the social platform and is rising in activity.
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Once a faulty link is clicked, Zeus will silently seize control of the victim's computer, remaining idle until they log into their online bank account. It will then activate, stealing passwords and extracting money from their accounts. It even has the ability to replace the website with its own page in order to take more information, such as a Social Security number, the "New York Times" reports.
Facebook is aware of the rising issue, but does not appear to be taking much action on it. Eric Feinberg, founder of the advocacy Fan Against Kounterfeit Enterprise (FAKE), reached out to the social site and received a tepid response.
"If you really want to hack someone, the easiest place to start is a fake Facebook profile- it's so simple, it's stupid," he told the "Times."
"They're not listening," Feinberg added. "We need oversight on this."
Zeus was first discovered in 2007, ?and, given the six-year gap between its discovery and current rise in prevalence, one would think that modern anti-virus software would be able to halt such a threat. But it's not a risk that should be taken. Users are aware that they should not click on unknown links, but the message clearly hasn't taken root as a fundamental security practice for Facebook. A reminder can't hurt: change your password (RIGHT NOW), don't click mystery links, and don't take candy from strangers.?
Additionally, Windows users, be extra careful. The virus is said to specifically target Windows?devices and will not work on Mac OS X or Linux. That doesn't mean that Apple users are free from daner, though, as Macs need anti-virus software too.
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