We see many threats that can put services and platforms that we use a lot in our day to day at risk. Mainly social networks are targeted by cybercriminals, but also other pages and online records. In this case it is a new campaign that targets Facebook and YouTube accounts. Hackers seek to steal them and take control. We are going to talk to you about how it works and what you should do to avoid this problem.
New malware attacks Facebook and YouTube
This is a new malware named S1deload Stealer. Their goal is to hijack Facebook and YouTube accounts. What this campaign does is pre-infect the victim’s computer to start stealing information and thus manage to hijack the accounts. In addition, it will start using those devices to mine cryptocurrencies.
This means that not only are YouTube and Facebook accounts at risk, but they may also notice that the device starts to go bad once they start mining cryptocurrency. It may slow down and even some processes might start to malfunction due to heavy system usage.
This malware has been discovered by security researchers from Bitdefender’s Advanced Threat Control. In recent months they have detected hundreds of users infected by this threat. But how do they get infected? What they do is use social engineering. It basically consists of deceiving the victim through comments on Facebook or false links. They end up downloading a ZIP file, and by unzipping it, the malicious payload is executed.
When the victim installs that program thinking nothing is wrong, the attackers take control of the device. They will gain access and they will be able to steal information. They can steal credentials or cookies stored in the browser. In the event that a Facebook account was stolen, they would also try to control a page that the victim manages.
How to avoid this threat that affects Facebook and YouTube
But what can we do to avoid falling victim to this security threat that can put Facebook and YouTube accounts at risk? The most important thing is common sense. We have explained that attackers use social engineering to get us to click on a link and install malware. Therefore, what you should do is avoid these actions. Always install apps from legitimate sources and never trust any links you receive.
In addition, it is also important to use a good antivirus. That will help you detect malware of all kinds. You will be able to protect your systems and eliminate threats before they can act. It is important to always choose a good program and not make mistakes. There are both free and paid options.
Another important factor to keep in mind is that you should always keep your devices up to date. This will help you fix any vulnerabilities that may exist that could be used by hackers to gain access to your system.
In short, as you can see, there is a new threat that aims to steal Facebook and YouTube accounts, but also to mine cryptocurrencies. Using antimalware to improve security and keep the system protected is a good option to avoid having these types of problems.
