Facebook users hit by 'sexiest video' attack

SINGAPORE: If you get a message in your Facebook account with the subject “This is without doubt the sexiest video ever!”, accompanied by what appears to be a video with the title “Candid Camera Prank ”, think twice before opening it. Or even better don't open it at all

Computer security company Sophos warned Facebook users on Monday against clicking on the link in the mail, claiming to be the "sexiest video ever", which shows the thumbnail of a woman on a bicycle wearing a short skirt, because this is a well-trap designed to infect computers.

If you click on the thumbnail you don't view a video at all, but you are instead taken to a Facebook application. When you click on that, it would say you that your video player is out-of-date and would urge you to download a file.

Many users then report that the same video was posted (using their avatar and name as though they had posted the message) to their Facebook friends and acquaintances, thus spreading even more quickly, it added. However, after detecting the trap, Facebook has apparently taken action against this. Still the threat is there.

“Now, maybe you're in the habit of sharing and receiving videos like this with your online chums. I can certainly imagine a lot of blokes in particular might be tempted to play the video. Each to his or her own, but you should be extremely careful on this occasion,” warned Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos.

He also said, if your computer is affected by this attack, you may better scan your computers with anti-virus software, change passwords, review Facebook application settings and remove whatever was installed.