Facebook rebuts ZoneAlarm virus claims
Note: ZoneAlarm has issued a correction to their original claims. This blog has been edited to reflect the changes.
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What do Facebook and porn sites have in common? They can expose users to malware.
Facebook users are targeted, according to this ZoneAlarm logo.
Web security company ZoneAlarm said initially that 20 percent of Facebook newsfeed links open a computer virus, but later changed it’s infographic to say 20 percent of Facebook users are exposed to malware. That’s a pretty big change.
As I said in my original post, I don’t think it’s possible that 1 in 5 Facebook links are infected. People would be leaving Facebook in droves.
I use Facebook extensively when I should be working, and I’ve never had a problem and I use Windows XP, not the safest OS on the planet. Mac and Linux users are much safer, since most viruses are written to exploit infamous Windows exploits.
ZoneAlarm also said 600,000 Facebook users are compromised each day, which sounds like a pandemic. Of course, ZoneAlarm is trying to sell web security products, so maybe we should take their data with a lick of salt.
CNET dug a little deeper and it seems ZoneAlarm’s numbers are not accurate.
“While we welcome all responsible third-party research, ZoneAlarm, as with all AV Vendors, have the incentive to exaggerate threats on FB and we just want to ensure that all information is factual,” said a Facebook spokesperson in an email.
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31 comments Add your comment
rob
January 5th, 2012
1:48 pm
first….i hope!
Hey rob
January 5th, 2012
2:21 pm
Loser…for sure
Tim
January 5th, 2012
3:52 pm
which paper of the three big ones always has “first!” posts – sure as hell isn’t CL or ABC. whats funnier is that it seems to be encouraged
Harold
January 5th, 2012
4:01 pm
Second!
Bobby
January 5th, 2012
4:05 pm
I use facebook almost every day. But I never go to any apps or games even when requests are sent by friends to join them. I stay strictly on the main pages and have never had a problem.
mowreck
January 5th, 2012
4:12 pm
I’m with you Bobby. I never get on there except to check messages. Don’t play any games at all.
Waldo
January 5th, 2012
4:12 pm
Where am I ?
greg
January 5th, 2012
4:18 pm
I think they’re specifically referencing the links posted by friends. If so, I agree. Many of these links place pornographic pictures on your wall or take over your email account to send out spam under your name. I’ve seen this happen countless times to my friends. I’ve warned many that was getting emails selling vitamins and other supplements under there name.
My neice who is a nice Christian girl had some of the worst porno posted on her wall simply because the clicked on a link sent to her by one of her friends who didn’t know it was a virus.
Be careful on Facebook!
On My Way
January 5th, 2012
4:27 pm
Got hit once by a virus but it was my fault. Received a come hither picture that I clicked on to see more. Learned my lesson on that one.
george your an idiot
January 5th, 2012
4:31 pm
George, your an idiot. The majority of all viruses come from ‘Trusted’ sites like CNN, AOL, and Facebook. What better way to compromise dopes like you while at work than place a well formed attack within an ‘Add’ on a trusted site. When fools like you mistakenly click on a banner add, whammy. These sites are visited millions upon millions of times per day, and all it takes is a small percentage of users to knowingly or mistakenly click on a ‘mashed up’ add. Just because you are at work, use XP, MacOs, or any other OS doesn’t really matter. So please, do not misguide the general public with your obvious lack of understanding of how viruses and such are spread. Instead, go ahead click through all the banner adds, and mashed up adds on Facebook while at work, and enjoy living with the inevitable consequences.