A new malware is targeting Windows, Linux and Mac systems using Facebook Messenger

Cyber criminals are trying to attack Windows, Linux and Mac systems using Facebook Messenger. According to a report by FossBytes, criminals are trying to fool the users into visiting fake versions of popular websites so that they can push users into downloading an adware. [caption id=“attachment_3974491” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Image Credit: Facebook[/caption] The adware eventually downloads the malware in the system. This adware spreads by sending the infected links to the Facebook friend-list of users who have accidentally clicked on the links. According to the report, the malware uses a lot of domains to ensure that it can’t be tracked. The researchers have not been able to figure out the actual mechanism of how the malware functions at the time of writing. The malware does indeed employ social media engineering techniques where it relies on the human curiosity by adding the user name of the one who is receiving the message followed by a bit.ly link to intrigue the user into clicking on the link. [caption id=“attachment_3974475” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Image Credit: Security List[/caption] The malware takes your display image from Facebook and puts it on the Google Docs landing page to ensure that there is no suspicion. The page looks like a playable movie which will redirect you to other pages if you try to play it. This malware is intelligent as it can change the type of landing page depending on the ‘User-Agent header’. This means that the malware will collect data about what browser and operating system you are running and accordingly redirect you to the landing page in accordance with your ‘user-agent header’. In the time being, the only way to save yourself from infection and to ensure that you are not spreading the malware, it’s better to not click on any random link.