Facebook warns over password reset scam, Users Targeted in Massive Spam Run

Facebook has taken the unusual step of warning users about a bogus password reset scam designed to trick victims into downloading a password-stealing Trojan.

Prospective marks are falsely told in widely distributed spam emails that their password has been changed because of a supposed security incident. Targets are invited to open an email attachment for more information. This email attachment, you'll be unsurprised to learn, contains keystroke snaffling malware. Once bitten, every password a user enters onto an infected PC becomes compromised.

Facebook points out that it would never send users a new password in an email attachment.

McAfee, which was first to warn about the threat, has a copy of the scam emails and even a map showing the distribution of the attacks in a alert here. The web security firm reports that the scam is the sixth most prevalent piece of malware targeting consumers.

400 million users have been targeted by a spam run that could infect their computers with malicious software designed to steals passwords and other data, according to security researchers at McAfee.

Over the last two days, millions of messages have been sent, which McAfee detected through customers running the company's security software, said Dave Marcus, McAfee's director of security research and communication.

The messages appear to come from Facebook, with a return address that looks legitimate but has been spoofed, such as "help@facebook.com," Marcus said.

The messages say that the user's Facebook password has been reset and the user should download an attachment that contains the new password. The English-language messages are grammatically correct, but contain an odd sign-off: "Thanks, Your Facebook." McAfee has included a screenshot on its blog.

The attachment is actually a Trojan horse program, which infects a computer without any visible signs. Marcus said the spam run contained a variety of malware programs, including password stealers, rogue antivirus programs or botnet code.

No Web site would automatically reset someone's password and send the new one in an e-mail, Marcus said. Facebook's high number of users makes it a prime target for spammers and hackers.

Source: PC World / the register