Warning: 'Distracting Beach Babes' Video Scam Launches Malware Attack on Facebook

With privacy concerns and now a dangerous malware attack from a "Distracting Beach Babes" video posted on users' Facebook wall, Facebook can't catch a break.

A new malware attack is underway on Facebook initiating from a bogus video wall post titled "Distracting Beach Babes [HQ]" as shown in Figure 1 below. When a Facebook user clicks on this bogus video, they will be automatically prompted to download a file that installs malware onto their computer.

Figure 1. Facebook malware attack via "Distracting Beach Babes" wall post video link

According to reports, thousands of Facebook users have been hit with the "Distracting Beach Babes [HQ]" malware attack that poses as a video of a woman in a bikini. After clicking on the "Distracting Beach Babes [HQ]" link, users are taken to a rogue Facebook application where it asks for permission to run. Then to view the video, it displays a bogus message advising the user to run an update of the Flash Video player which is really a malware file the user is tricked into downloading. After this process has taken place, the malware will automatically forward the video link in your name to all of your Facebook friends. How nice of the malware to do this.

Who wouldn't want to see a video about "Distracting Beach Babes?" This is the very reason hackers use this type of scam. It is a rather old tactic being used in this latest malware campaign but remains to be very effective. The user of an enticing image or the undeniable offer of a "popular" video is just the right recipe for disaster.

It was not very long ago that Facebook users were hit with the 'Sexiest Video Ever' adware attack that spread annoying adware through the use of a fake Flash Video player (FLV) file . The latest attack using a malicious link masked as a video of "Distracting Beach Babes" is just another example of how easy hackers can spread malware onto thousands of users' computers.

It is apparent that cybercrooks are out to get as many people as they can through online sources such as social networks especially the biggest of them all, Facebook. Users should be aware of the dangers of using social networks and take proactive steps to protect themselves. Even though Facebook says they will make strides to improve privacy, it still does not eliminate the ongoing threat of malware attacks circulating .