Can I get a virus from Facebook or MySpace?

Updated: 06/30/2020 by Computer Hope
Computer Virus

Yes. It's possible for any website including social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace to distribute malware to users visiting the site. However, big sites such as Facebook and MySpace do a good job of protecting users and it's not likely that the site itself would infect you. Below are some common ways Facebook and MySpace users are affected by malware and other exploits.

Phishing

To access your login information scammers may create fake Facebook or MySpace pages or prompts asking for your username and password. If you were to enter this information, the scammer could then access your account if two factor authentication was not enabled.

To avoid this scheme, make sure when you're prompted for a username and password that the address bar is: www.facebook.com or www.myspace.com and not something else. Use caution when visiting any link sent to you in e-mail. See the phishing definition for additional information and tips.

Worms and trojan horse's

A worm can spread through social networks by your friends. For example, on Facebook the Koobface worm, which promised to show a video, spread itself through friend invites. However, it was only capable of infecting your computer if you agreed to download a video codec. These infections can be avoided by only accepting friend invites from people you know and as always only agreeing to install something on the computer is necessary.

Passwords

Make sure you're using a complex and long password with letters, numbers, and symbols and never share your password with anyone.

Privacy settings

Make sure your privacy settings are set to Friends of Friends or Friends Only in your privacy settings under your account.

Official security pages

Visit the official Facebook security page and if you like what you see follow it to keep up-to-date with security threats. If you're a MySpace user, visit the official MySpace safety page for security tips and help.