OS/Platform/Application:

Facebook

Category: ALERT
Severity: HIGH
Attention: Facebook Users, System Administrators, Desktop Support Personnel.

Summary: Websense (a respected Internet security resource) is reporting the recent discovery of a malicious spam email campaign intended to infect unsuspecting users' computers with malicious software.  According to the Websense security alert, the campaign uses email messages that look like those sent by the popular social networking tool 'Facebook' when an individual has been added to another user's "friends" list. 

The spam email messages are very authentic in appearance but they contain an attachment in the form of a ZIP file which houses the trojan software.  The message attempts to trick the user into opening the ZIP file to view a picture of the person who is adding the victim to their "friends" list.  Double-clicking on the ZIP file would load the malicious trojan software onto the victim's computer.

Recommended Actions:  Legitimate Facebook "add friend" messages do not contain attachments such as ZIP files.  Users receiving messages purportedly from Facebook that contain ZIP file attachments should NOT open these attachments.   Facebook users are encouraged to read the Websense security alert (safe link provided below) for more information on this threat.

Readers are encouraged to share this alert with family, friends, and associates.

ITS Actions: N/A

Resources:

Websense Security Alert:
http://securitylabs.websense.com/content/Alerts/3185.aspx