IT security and control firm Sophos is reminding Facebook users to exercise caution about which third-party applications they install on their profile.
The warning follows reports that a rogue application, called 'Error Check System', has bombarded some members of the social networking site with bogus notification messages saying that friends had experienced problems viewing their profiles.
Sophos experts note that since Facebook does not approve applications before they are made available on the site, users are often putting their trust in complete strangers when they choose to install the next application. In this instance, there was nothing wrong with the recipients' profiles and the warning messages were in fact a viral attempt by a third-party to recruit more users, and - potentially - steal personal information for financial gain.
"Due to the popularity of Facebook applications, users are often tempted to follow suit when all their friends have downloaded the latest must-have,” says Brett Myroff, CEO of regional Sophos distributor, Sophos South Africa. “However, installing all applications sent your way could open up serious security holes and allow hackers to gain access to profiles and the information stored on it.”
As with other computing applications, users are advised to exercise caution when unsure of the origin of a notification. “Just because your friends have downloaded an application, doesn't necessarily mean it's safe," says Myroff.
Sophos has produced Facebook best practice guidelines that offer advice on how to secure your online profile. For more information, please visit:
http://www.sophos.com/facebook
More information about the Error Check System application and how to remove it from your Facebook profile can be found at:
http://www.sophos.com/blogs/gc/g/2009/02/23/beware-error-check-system
Share
Sophos South Africa
Netxactics, trading as Sophos South Africa, is a South African-based company focused on the provision of security solutions. It is the master distributor for UK-based Sophos, one of the leaders in the provision of network access control and endpoint, e-mail and Web security and control solutions for the corporate environment. For more information, visit Sophos South Africa at http://www.sophos.co.za.
Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises worldwide to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Our network access control, endpoint, Web and e-mail solutions simplify security to provide integrated defences against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, we protect over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with our reliably engineered security solutions and services. Recognised for our high level of customer satisfaction, we have an enviable history of industry awards, reviews and certifications. Sophos is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and Oxford, UK.
Editorial contacts