Facebook infected by 'Koobface' virus

TechRadar is... writing about Koobface
TechRadar is... writing about Koobface

Facebook has been the recent target of a virus attack that could put all 120 million of its users at risk.

Nicknamed 'Koobface' – see what they did there? – the virus can't actually be downloaded on the site itself, but through a link to a bogus Flash player upgrade site.

The makers of the virus have tried to make the link look as legitimate as possible by hiding it among wall posts. The most popular being the following message: 'You look just awesome in this new movie.'

Awesome virus

As a rule of thumb, TechRadar suggests that if you have never starred in a movie, then it is highly unlikely that you would look 'awesome' in one. So, don't let vanity get the better of you.

If you do click on the link, then you will be directed to a fake Adobe Flash Player upgrade site. This is where your computer could get infected and all your personal details, including credit card numbers and passwords cloned. Facebook has released details on how to get rid of the virus on its security pages.

Chris Boyd, a researcher with FaceTime Security Labs, told Reuters news: "People tend to let their guard down. They think you've got to log in with an account, so there is no way that worms and other viruses could infect them."

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.