Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a warning Tuesday to exercise caution when opening a link about the death of Osama Bin Laden. Pictures and videos circulating on Facebook and Twitter about the alleged photos of Bin Laden had been confirmed by security experts that contained malicious virus and malware.
In an official statement by the FBI which was quoted as saying regarding the widely published picture of Bin Laden “content could be a virus that could damage your computer. This malicious software or malware can embed itself in computers and spread to users’ contact lists, thereby infecting the systems of (–foul word(s) removed–)ociates, friends, and family members,” the FBI said in a statement.
According to Kaspersky Labs the fraudulent images of Bin Laden that spread malicious links claiming to be images of bin Laden’s death will not only harm your computer. The link made by cybercriminals will get your personal information and used it for their own good leaving you unaware that you are already a victim of identity thief.
Kaspersky Lab expert Vicente Diaz was quoted as saying in his blog about the Osama Virus. He states that: “The point is how malware reacts quickly to use major events for its distribution, registering domains and using social networks in the first hours,” he said. “We urge you to be very careful to avoid these scams.”
FBI asked computer owners to ensure they have up-to-date antivirus software to detect and deflect malicious software, and to keep an eye for fraudulent messages that often feature misspellings, poor grammar and nonstandard English.
According to McAfee Labs said it expects to see even “more related malware in the coming days and warn computer users to be cautious when they receive messages that purport to offer photos of Bin Laden’s body, funeral or any additional details.”
Osama virus or the Bin Laden virus was spreading quickly by the advent of social media and micro-blogging sites such as twitter, users should exercise caution on clicking links.