Hacking Away At Twitter and Facebook.

Yes, hackers are targeting Facebook and Twitter with their . What appears to be a legitimate message from one of your friends, is actually a hacker's attempt to get you to download malicious software to your computer. The hackers are hoping that people will see a reference to one of their friends and fore go the common sense they usually apply to surfing the web. Once clicked the link starts downloading malicious software to your computer.

Don't think because you are using a particular computer, web browser, or virus protection, that you are free to go clicking links willy nilly! These types of attacks are brand name immune. They don't care what you are driving, or how much insurance you have. They are attacking with code that can run you over, even on the internet highway.

Just because a link has the "friendly" look and feel, doesn't mean it is safe. A friends account may be infected. Spoofing a Twitter account or Facebook application is not at all uncommon. Use common sense when clicking links. If you are not sure, don't click. Contact your friend and ask them if it is on the up and up. This holds true for blogs, regular web pages, and any social networking tools, including Facebook and Twitter.

Twitter, following it's own advice, is filtering links - including shortened url's. The message “Oops! Your tweet contained a URL to a known malware site!” pops up and the message cannot be posted. Facebook is also blocking suspect links that are reported a malicious. But,  keeping up with deviant links is not instantaneous or exact.

Related Articles

• Attacks on social networks are on the rise, report says (seattlepi.com)
• Twitter filters malicious URLs including shortened ones (blogherald.com)
• Twitter and Facebook Scams (robbiz1978.blogspot.com)