'Santa' malware on the march

As the festive season approaches, the purveyors of spam and malware are out in force – and their early efforts are already emerging.The notorious Koobface worm’s latest guise involves posting messages on Facebook profiles that link to either a fake Facebook page or fake video pages. Users will be offered a file named setup.exe which may come in the form of a Flash Player upgrade or a free antivirus that ironically is meant to protect users from Koobface.The bogus Facebook postings are similar to these:· I caan't ffall asleepp affter viewwing thiss videeo. I haven'tt seenn aanything liike this· I can''t falll aslleep aftter viiewing thhis vvideo. I havven't seeen aanything likee this· I caan't ffall aslleep aftter vieewing thiss videoo. I haveen't seeen annything llike thisEach message contains a link that when clicked, will bring users to a Facebook page or open up a video page containing a Christmas-themed video.When surfing the Web in the lead-up to Christmas, keep the following tips in mind:· Be careful what you click on: Exercise caution when clicking on links from unknown senders. Always maintain a level of caution around any messages from within a website or that appear to be sent by a website – check the URL.· Deploy protection: Ensure you are using an up-to-date security solution that protects against spam and viruses. Use security software, such as Norton Internet Security 2010. · Every click matters: When asked to “allow” or “deny” an application access to the internet, always deny unless you’re absolutely confident the site it is accessing is authentic and safe. Check out web safety services such as Norton Safe Web where a community of web users collaborate to report dangerous phishing and malware sites.· Stay informed: For more information on cybercrime and how to protect yourself, visit www.everyclickmatters.com