With ESET Online Scanner for Facebook, users at the aforementioned social network have another chance to avoid potentially risky threats that could be spread via shortened URLs, misleading info, etc.
THE SOCIAL NETWORK Facebook has partnered with security firm ESET to launch its third free anti-virus scanner in a bid to keep the website free of malware.
ESET Online Scanner for Facebook joins similar services from F-Secure and Trend Micro, which already spot and clean infected machines logging in to the site.
ESET's malware protection scans devices accessing Facebook, throwing up a warning if it finds signs of an infection and offering the user a free anti-malware scan.
Cheten Gowda, a web developer at Facebook responsible for tackling spam, explained: "You can run the scan, see the scan results, and disable the software all without logging out of Facebook, making it seamless and easy to clean up an infected device."
Of course, users can choose not to use the service if they wish.
The move comes amid a rise in the number of misleading info and malicious software spreading through Facebook.
Earlier this year, for example, Malwarebytes revealed to The INQUIRER that social networkers were being targeted by a trojan that pilfered user details via Facebook Messenger.
Before that, Trustwave outed a strain of malware dubbed 'Pony' that snarfed user credentials from Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Bad eggs are also becoming hot on Facebook. The latest uses click-bait headlines to entice Facebookers to bag a free shopping spree at ASDA.
Righard Zwienenberg, senior research fellow at ESET, told The INQUIRER: "One of the issues with malware spread via Facebook is that people are more eager to click on links leading to malware or phishing sites when they get the link from a friend.
"In general, users that do not think about security and 'seeing their friends like it and comment on it' will click on it."
Facebook's Gowda added: "ESET Online Scanner for Facebook will significantly decrease the number of malicious links from among the trillions of clicks that take place every day on Facebook." ‚µ
Here's how it will work when we detect that a device interacting with Facebook is behaving in a suspicious way that we believe is related to a malware infection:
When logging in from the infected device, you'll see a notification screen about a malware infection, along with a recommendation to use F-Secure's malware scanning and cleanup technology or HouseCall from Trend Micro. Each product contains distinct malware signatures and is suited to different kinds of threats, so we recommend trying the suggested product even if you already have an anti-virus or similar program running on your machine. You won't have to worry about maintenance; these versions are up-to-date and will remove themselves once they're done running.
You can choose to skip the malware removal process and decline to download the recommended scanner. If you skip removing the malware, you may be prompted again later.
You'll download and run the scanner, during which time you can continue to use Facebook and other services. When the scan is complete, you'll receive a notification through Facebook and you'll be able to review the results of the scan.
Original info can be found at:
www.theinquirer.net/
www.Facebook.com/
THE SOCIAL NETWORK Facebook has partnered with security firm ESET to launch its third free anti-virus scanner in a bid to keep the website free of malware.
ESET Online Scanner for Facebook joins similar services from F-Secure and Trend Micro, which already spot and clean infected machines logging in to the site.
ESET's malware protection scans devices accessing Facebook, throwing up a warning if it finds signs of an infection and offering the user a free anti-malware scan.
Cheten Gowda, a web developer at Facebook responsible for tackling spam, explained: "You can run the scan, see the scan results, and disable the software all without logging out of Facebook, making it seamless and easy to clean up an infected device."
Of course, users can choose not to use the service if they wish.
The move comes amid a rise in the number of misleading info and malicious software spreading through Facebook.
Earlier this year, for example, Malwarebytes revealed to The INQUIRER that social networkers were being targeted by a trojan that pilfered user details via Facebook Messenger.
Before that, Trustwave outed a strain of malware dubbed 'Pony' that snarfed user credentials from Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Bad eggs are also becoming hot on Facebook. The latest uses click-bait headlines to entice Facebookers to bag a free shopping spree at ASDA.
Righard Zwienenberg, senior research fellow at ESET, told The INQUIRER: "One of the issues with malware spread via Facebook is that people are more eager to click on links leading to malware or phishing sites when they get the link from a friend.
"In general, users that do not think about security and 'seeing their friends like it and comment on it' will click on it."
Facebook's Gowda added: "ESET Online Scanner for Facebook will significantly decrease the number of malicious links from among the trillions of clicks that take place every day on Facebook." ‚µ
Here's how it will work when we detect that a device interacting with Facebook is behaving in a suspicious way that we believe is related to a malware infection:
When logging in from the infected device, you'll see a notification screen about a malware infection, along with a recommendation to use F-Secure's malware scanning and cleanup technology or HouseCall from Trend Micro. Each product contains distinct malware signatures and is suited to different kinds of threats, so we recommend trying the suggested product even if you already have an anti-virus or similar program running on your machine. You won't have to worry about maintenance; these versions are up-to-date and will remove themselves once they're done running.
You can choose to skip the malware removal process and decline to download the recommended scanner. If you skip removing the malware, you may be prompted again later.
You'll download and run the scanner, during which time you can continue to use Facebook and other services. When the scan is complete, you'll receive a notification through Facebook and you'll be able to review the results of the scan.
Original info can be found at:
www.theinquirer.net/
www.Facebook.com/
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