by April J.

Created on: December 14, 2008   Last Updated: December 18, 2008

Curiosity and trust are parts of our human nature and because these traits are predictable, they are exploitable. Often the writers of viruses, worms and spam possess a good understanding of human psychology and they use this knowledge to "trick" computer users into doing what they want. In computer security, this is called "social engineering" and it poses one of the greatest challenges to those who try to combat these problems.

The recent Koobface worm that has infected a number of Facebook users' computers is a great example of this. Typically, the recipient receives a message from the infected account of one of their Facebook friends, containing a message along the lines of "you look awesome in this video". The user is directed to click a link, then warned that they require an update to their Flash player (1). Instead, the link installs spyware that then listens for, and transmits, information such as web search data and possibly even credit card numbers (4).

Why is this worm able to spread so effectively? One reason is trust. Computer users tend to believe that any message that comes from a trusted friend will be free of problems such as viruses which, unfortunately, is not the case. Another reason is that the Koobface virus appeals to emotions like fear and curiosity. There are few people who would not be moved to check out a potential video of themselves on the Internet, especially one that they were not aware was out there.

So how can Facebook users protect themselves? First of all, employ a healthy dose of suspicion: take care when opening attachments and following links, and never agree to downloads unless you are sure they are legitimate. If you do believe your Flash player is out of date, the best approach is to go directly to the vendor's site to update it. If you think your computer may have been infected, update and run your anti-virus software. You can also read about various computer security topics regarding Facebook on their website (2).

By remaining vigilant, employing critical thinking, and educating yourself in computer security, you can help ensure that your computer and your Facebook account remain virus-free.

References:
1) http://www.avertlabs.com/research/blog/index.php/200 8/12/03/koobface-remains-active-on-facebook/
2) http://www.facebook.com/security
3) http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4B37LV 20081204
4) http://blog.wired.com/business/2008/12/koobface-viru s.html

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