by Leigh Goessl

Created on: December 15, 2008   Last Updated: January 13, 2009

The Koobface worm virus first appeared in August 2008 on the social network circuit. In winter 2008 the worm found its way into the Facebook and began causing havoc across the network.

If you or your children are Facebook users it is important to understand how this virus is spread so you can take precautions and avoid infection to your computer. Fortunately this worm is an easy one to avoid if you know exactly what to look for.

The Koobface virus attempts to compromise a computer by sending out messages from an infected friend which invites the recipients to view a video. Underneath the message the user will see a link leading to this alleged video.

If you follow the link it immediately leads you to a website which prompts you to download an Adobe Flash Player update in order to view the video. The file it claims you need to download is "flash_player.exe". If you download and run this file, the virus becomes live and your computer is now infected and the virus begins to search for information.

A problem with the Koobface worm virus is once infected you could become a victim of fraud or your computer hijacked to be used for illicit purposes. After the worm gets into your system it takes control of your browser and directs you to unsecure websites when you use the web. At this point any sensitive information you enter, such as a credit card number or password, will be stolen.

What's unfortunate about this worm is that it is designed in such a way where it purportedly comes from a person listed on a friend list. Since Facebook is a closed network where you have to be logged in to send and view messages, many Facebook members tend to view messages received from friends as safe.

To avoid infection you should explain to your children the importance of not downloading any files they aren't 100% sure of. Explain to them if they receive any links from Facebook friends it is always a good idea to confirm with the friend to see if they sent the message; the friend may not know they are infected.

You can take preventative steps to avoid being infected by Koobface or any other virus by installing a firewall and keeping your computer virus scanner updated. Run scans on a regular basis. As a general rule of thumb it is important to understand any files which end in ".exe" can be dangerous if downloaded because these are executable files which will install software on your computer once the file is activated.

If you know what to look for and have taken proactive steps to protect your computer you can easily avoid being infected by Koobface. You can get updates and learn more about Koobface on Facebook's website.

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