Often, we’re asked, “Can I get a virus if I use Facebook?”.  Facebook.com is a free social website that enables you to connect with friends and network with people across the globe.  It is a place where one can connect with their old high school friends or share events with family members who aren’t living nearby.

Facebook comes with many applications that are developed by 3rd parties. One can place these applications on their own webpage within the Facebook website.  They allow another way for those who visit your webpage to interact with you and others.

There are many activities one can do each day on Facebook, some which one can get lost in time being entertained.  It is natural that wherever the masses are, the parasites will eventually show up.

Is Facebook safe?

The answer to this question lies within the precautions one takes when browsing the web.  It is possible to receive a virus just by browsing a webpage.  It is important to have antivirus and antispyware programs that are up to date that can help prevent these attacks.  There are some virus and spyware programs have been designed to blend in and confuse a person into installing the malicious software on their computer.

Koobface Virus on Facebook

A common activity people like to do is publish their favorite videos and music on their webpage for visitors to see.  In order to view these types of media, one needs to have the proper “plugin” installed on their computer.  A plugin is simply a program that runs on your computer that enables you to load and run content that is specific to the author who created it.

In the case of the Koobface virus, when a visitor comes to a person’s webpage on Facebook that has a video on it.  The video will prompt to install the proper plugin. The visitor is then taken offsite and instructed to install the media player plugin that will show the video.  This is a common practice and is usually legitimate.  The Koobface virus, however, looks deceptively like it’s prompting a person to install the safe Adobe Flash plugin, but it is in fact not.  The visitor is redirected to the malicious website disguised as being the source for the Flash download and prompts to install.  Once downloaded and installed, the virus wreaks havoc on your hard drive and allows outside intruders to control it.

See featured video on the right to learn more about how the Koobface virus is spreading on Facebook.

So, can I get a virus from Facebook or not?

You can get a virus from Facebook much in the same way one can get a virus from opening a suspicious attachment in an email. Or, if one visits any webpage that prompts for a download in order to view content on that page and if that download contains a virus.  Facebook is just a community website where many activities take place each day.  Some are good, some are bad.

How can I prevent myself from getting a virus on Facebook?

There are many ways to keep yourself safe from getting a virus or spyware on the internet.  Here are three quick ways:

1. Visit Facebook’s Security Page - While Facebook is continually updating their security practices on their website, become familiar with ways you can take preventative steps by visiting Facebook’s security page at http://www.facebook.com/security
2. Make sure you have the latest antivirus/spyware/malware programs loaded on your computer – and make sure they are updated continually.  A good antivirus program will include web scanning, which scans each item on every website you visit and analyzes it’s risk factor.
3. Always be mindful of what you download and what you install on your computer – Trust nothing unless you can prove that it is from a reliable source first.  Pay attention to the web address that is in your address bar to make sure you’re being taken to the correct, safe site if you’re being redirected.

Facebook is a fun place to keep up with people in your social network.  It can be a safe experience as long as you practice safe methods while visiting.

If you haven’t watched the featured video that explains how a virus can spread on Facebook yet, it can be found on the right side of this page.

Do you think you have a virus?  You can have us remove it over the internet. Check out our online virus removal information.

Tags: Facebook, Spyware, Virus, Virus Prevention