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Fake Messages Rigged With Malware Are Spreading Via Facebook Messenger (bleepingcomputer.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the spam-campaign dept.

According to recent warnings issued by Avira, CSIS Security Group, and Kaspersky Lab, a virulent spam campaign has hit Facebook Messenger during the past few days. "The Facebook spam messages contain a link to what appears to be a video," reports Bleeping Computer. "The messages arrive from one of the user's friends, suggesting that person's account was also compromised." From the report: The format of the spam message is the user's first name, the word video, and a bit.ly or t.cn short-link. Users that click on the links are redirected to different pages based on their geographical location and the type of browser and operating system they use. It's been reported that Firefox users on Windows and Mac are being redirected to a page offering a fake Flash Player installer. Kaspersky says this file installs adware on users' PCs. On Chrome, the spam campaign redirects users to a fake YouTube page pushing a malicious extension. It is believed that crooks use this Chrome extension to push adware and collect credentials for new Facebook accounts, which they later use to push the spam messages to new users.

3 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. Deja vu by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    Fake messages from bad hombres discovered by Russians? Where have I heard that before?

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    Table-ized A.I.
  2. browser discrimination by KiloByte · · Score: 2

    So Firefox users on Windows and Mac get something, so do those on Chrome... but, what can I get on eLinks on arm64 Linux?

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    The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
  3. Water is wet, sun is bright, Pope is Catholic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Users that click on the links being the key phrase here.

    Guns are always loaded, shortened URLS always lead to malware. Especially when they don't. If you post a shortened URL, you should be permanently banned and flagged as a spammer. If you click on a shortened URL, you are a fucking idiot. There is no legitimate reason to use shortened URL services. No exceptions. Your one edge case is objectively wrong and it makes you a shill for malware venders.

    People being idiots is not news. Death to bit.ly and all URL shorteners.