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Phishers’ New Fake Social Media Apps 

May 23, 2013 02:03 AM

Phishers are trying everything they can to improve their chances of harvesting user credentials. They are known for experimenting with different fake social media applications in a desperate move to lure users. Recently, we found a few examples of some new fake apps.

In the first example, the phishing site used an image of a girl along with the Facebook Like button. After clicking the button, users are prompted for their Facebook login credentials in order to “like” the photo. After the credentials are entered, the phishing site acknowledges the login and asks users to click another Like button. The button is placed beside a fake number indicating the number of likes already gained. The phishing site was hosted on servers based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

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Figure 1. Facebook Like button with a picture of a girl

 

Phishers_fake_FB_image2.png

Figure 2. Login credentials required to” like” the picture

 

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Figure 3. The Like button along with the number of likes already gained

 

The second example is a phishing site spoofing the Facebook login page that claimed to have several new features for Indian users. The phishing site called itself “Chehrakitab” which is Hindi for “Face Book”. Phishing sites, like the current example, that are designed to target Indian users have been consistently written poorly. The Facebook 2013 Demo phishing is a good example. A description given on the phishing page explained that the site is under construction although users can still login. Phishers appear to be contemptuous of Facebook as they mentioned in the logo that it’s wasting people’s lives. The phishing site was hosted on a free Web hosting site. If users fell victim to the phishing site, phishers would have successfully stolen their information for identity theft.

 

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Figure 4. Phishing site pretending to be the Indian version of Facebook

 

Internet users are advised to follow best practices to avoid phishing attacks:

  • Do not click on suspicious links in email messages
  • Do not provide any personal information when answering an email
  • Do not enter personal information in a pop-up page or window
  • Ensure the website is encrypted with an SSL certificate by looking for the padlock, “https”, or the green address bar when entering personal or financial information
  • Use comprehensive security software, such as Norton Internet Security or Norton 360, which protects you from phishing scams and social network scams
  • Exercise caution when clicking on enticing links sent through email or posted on social networks

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