Kaspersky Lab (News - Alert), a developer of Internet threat management solutions, has detected two variants of a new worm, Networm. Win32.Koobface.a. and Networm.Win32.Koobface.b, attack MySpace (News - Alert) and Facebook, which are popular social networking sites.

 

Kaspersky Internet Security detected these threats proactively and signatures were added to the database on July 31.

 

As per Kaspersky’s report, these new worms transform victim machines into zombie computers to form botnets as part of their malicious payload. Botnet is a term referring to the collection of software robots, or bots, that run autonomously and automatically. The lab also warns users that the worms are designed to upload additional malicious modules with other functionality via the Internet.

 

Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface.a is that worm that spreads when a user accesses his/her MySpace account. The worm creates a range of commentaries to friends' accounts. Net-Worm.Win32.Koobface.b, which targets Facebook (News - Alert) users, creates spam messages and sends them to the infected users' friends via the Facebook site. The messages and comments include texts such as "Paris Hilton Tosses Dwarf On The Street;" "Examiners Caught Downloading Grades From The Internet;" "Hello;" "You must see it!!! LOL. My friend catched you on hidden cam;" "Is it really celebrity? Funny Moments;" and many others.

 

Alexander Gostev, senior virus analyst of Kaspersky Lab says, “Unfortunately, users are very trusting of messages left by 'friends' on social networking sites. So the likelihood of a user clicking on a link like this is very high”

 

Kaspersky clarified that messages and comments on MySpace and Facebook include links to Youtube. Also, users who visit the site via Facebook will have the MySpace worm downloaded to their machines, and vice versa.

 

Gostev mentioned about the increase in cbyer criminals which are exploiting MySpace, Facebook and other similar sites. Gostev expressed his confidence that this is simply the first step, and that virus writers will continue to target these resources with increased intensity.