Facebook Ads For Windows Desktop Themes Push Info-Stealing Malware (bleepingcomputer.com) 28
Cybercriminals are using Facebook business pages and advertisements to promote fake Windows themes that infect unsuspecting users with the SYS01 password-stealing malware. From a report: Trustwave researchers who observed the campaigns said the threat actors also promote fake downloads for pirated games and software, Sora AI, 3D image creator, and One Click Active. While using Facebook advertisements to push information-stealing malware is not new, the social media platform's massive reach makes these campaigns a significant threat.
The threat actors take out advertisements that promote Windows themes, free game downloads, and software activation cracks for popular applications, like Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and Windows. These advertisements are promoted through newly created Facebook business pages or by hijacking existing ones. When using hijacked Facebook pages, the threat actors rename them to suit the theme of their advertisement and to promote the downloads to the existing page members.
The threat actors take out advertisements that promote Windows themes, free game downloads, and software activation cracks for popular applications, like Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and Windows. These advertisements are promoted through newly created Facebook business pages or by hijacking existing ones. When using hijacked Facebook pages, the threat actors rename them to suit the theme of their advertisement and to promote the downloads to the existing page members.
This shouldn't have just a Facebook logo (Score:2, Troll)
The use of advertisement to push malware is nothing new. Heck the idea to use advertisement to push anything untoward is nothing new. We get ads for all kinds of things, be they malware infected products masquerading as traditional products, games masquerading as other games (seriously you should check out the actual games advertised on Google, they aren't the same game you end up downloading, which is setting the bar quite low considering how rubbish the ads themselves look), to even advertising things whi
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No, it should mention the general problem with advertisement on social media.
Re: This shouldn't have just a Facebook logo (Score:2)
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Why would I be Mark Zuckerberg, I didn't talk about Facebook being good. I pointed out the problem is very wide spread.
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but don't defend microsoft.. it's that's over.
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I don't use Bing, but I have zero reason to believe that they are any better.
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I'm a shareholder for neither, and I didn't defend Meta in any way. And while I didn't attack Microsoft it's only because I don't use their products and thus don't get force fed ads by them so I can't comment on whether they also push this kind of shit, though I suspect they do.
Please learn to read.
Re: This shouldn't have just a Facebook logo (Score:2)
You accept money to promote ads, then you better take at least a minimal level or responsibility for what you promote.
I bet it were hack3rz (Score:1)
And folks, make sure you only use the latest AOL cd-rom's to install your software since there is a bad link injection virus going around....
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Re: I bet it were hack3rz (Score:2)
1988?
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Seems somehow appropriate (Score:2)
Given that Facebook itself is info-stealing malware.
Ads with malware (Score:2)
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The bad guys are good at doing this as well, for example, only hitting one IP space once with their malicious stuff, so tracking where it came from is next to impossible. It seems that the ad providers have a wink-wink, nudge-nudge game with the malware providers, just because the money is good, and there is zero accountability, since there are usually ad networks nested... for example, look how many companies your click on a link goes through before actually landing on the destination site.
Next to phishin
Selling out to the competition (Score:2)
Heaven forbid something you download from a Facebook ad to run on your Windows, gets your info. That info belongs to Facebook, Microsoft, and the ad companies!
And absolutely nobody... (Score:2)
"Tale as old as time."
But seriously, I had a little nostalgia there for a moment for the times when practically anything you touched on the internet would try to pwn you. Facebook is just the latest vector.
This isn't new - especially on facebook (Score:3)
I noticed this a while back. Not just ads but also sponsored posts that link to external sites.
After my wife accidentally fell for one and I checked out what happened, I had to filter/block facebook links out to other sites. I don't have any percentages, but of the several "sponsored" links I checked, most went to the scam virus pages with phone numbers to call. Not surprised it has escalated
Bottom line - ad blockers are a security layer, plain and simple. Every year there are stories about how malware has used an ad as an attack vector.
Facebook is chock full of scam links now (Score:2)
Follow the money
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Good thing Google killed off ad blockers in Chrome (Score:2)
Surely this is what Google had in mind. Google knows best.
Degrade in content validation (Score:1)
"Advertisers not responsible for anything..." (Score:2)
There, I fixed it. 'Marketing' means you're not lying, right?
Seriously, I mean user posted stuff with no financial incentives is one thing to protect against (like racism, marketing lies, or hurt feelings), meaning the safe harbor provision against prosecution. But something other than information being shared should be something they're liable for too.
If something can alter my computer... that you showed/offered.... then it's something they should be punished for agreeing, and being paid, to offer. Why
All "Sponsored" posts on Facebook are malware (Score:2)
All or nearly all of the "Sponsored" posts on Facebook lead to a page that pops up porn, then "YOU HAVE BEEN INFECTED!!!!" malware. There is, of course, no reporting category for "Malware", and Facebook consistently reports the sites as "not in violation of community standards".