(UPDATED) Welcome to another round of Facebook app hysteria! This text is copied from a recent spate of wall postings:
WARNING!!!!!! ..... Do not use the Christmas tree app. on Facebook. Please be advised it will crash your computer. Geek squad says its one of the WORST trojan-viruses there is and it is spreading quickly... Re-post and let your friends know!!!!!!!
Here's another example:
REPOST: WARNING!!! DO NOT LOAD the Christmas tree app. It will crash your Computer. Geeksquad says it's one of the WORST trojan viruses there is and it is spreading quickly. PLEASE re-post and let your friends know!!!!
In truth, Geek Squad has made no such announcement, nor have any of the Internet security firms that normally keep tabs on this sort of threat (McAfee, Sophos, etc.) issued any warnings about a supposed "Christmas tree app virus."
All signs point to this being a hoax.
Update: Hoax confirmed by antivirus experts
• Sophos.com: Christmas Tree App Warning "Bogus."
• MSNBC: Facebook "Virus" Is Just a Hoax
Update: Hoax returns in Nov. 2011
Once again, false postings warning of a so-called "Christmas tree app virus" are circulating on Facebook. 2011 examples:
HERE WE GO AGAIN !!! THIS WILL CRASH YOUR COMPUTER..PLEASE DON'T INCLUDE ME IN ANY OF THIS IF YOU USE THEM !! Thank You. WARNING!!!!!! ..... Do not use the Christmas tree app. on Face book. Please be advised it will crash your computer. Geek squad says its one of the WORST trojan-viruses there is and it is spreading quickly... Re-post and let your friends know.. PLZ DO NOT ADD ME TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE APP
WARNING!!!! ..... Do not use the Christmas tree app on Facebook . Please be advised it will crash your computer. Geek squad says its one of the WORST trojan-viruses there is and it is spreading quickly... Re-post and let your friends know..
These postings are false. No such virus exists.
Comments
Yet again we have a trojan attacking facebook. This just shows how unsecure facebook actually is. Today facebook offers no sort of security over your private content and I believe users should realize this and leave facebook. I have left facebook and am waiting for a safer platform like MyCube or Diaspora to launch
@Cedric You’re an idiot who obviously can’t read.
@Cedric Watch out for those Trojan [hoaxes]! They gonna getcha!
LOL. Happy Turkey day!
FUNZO: Ditto to your comment! Its amazing, that even after the facts are disclosed; that the stupidist people still can’t get it. I guess such big words like “hoax” are confusing to some. For all of you stupid people: READ the WHOLE article that someone has taken the time to write and be helpful. Hey Cedric, if you read this, ONLY you will receive a trojan horse virus. HMmmm…I guess you can name it the “read response virus”. LOL
Hehehehe.. thats funny!!! And true!!
I understand that this particular incident was a hoax. what Cedric was trying to say, but didnt get around to was that Facebook really have had a lot of privacy “lapses”. This might be a “hoax” but this is a one off. Facebook has proved to us time and time again that it is too insecure for those concerned about their privacy online. Believe me, I need to use Facebook but I want to be able to do it without being concerned about my security. That is why people like Cedric and myself are waiting for “privacy aware” websites like Diaspora or perhaps MyCube, which can offer online privacy. Its not like Facebook was always insecure, it used to be secure at one point, but sadly, now its become unusable. Atleast for me. @Funzo and @David, maybe you guys are in your twenty-somethings for whom Facebook might still be appealing but for me – someone who is actually concerned about their privacy – Facebook has become unusable. I really think its time to move on to something more secure. Cheers.
I have also left Facebook, after soliciting emails were sent to my family and friends in my name, that I never sent. Twice I tried to use Facebook, and twice I was hacked. Facebook is too dangerous and unsecure for me to join again.
Good luck to those still using Facebook. I hope you don’t experience the problems I did.
I’ve used FaceBook a lot for over a year, have never been hacked, never had porn or other spam sent out in my name. On the other hand, I’ve used Windows and email for many years and I know it is prone to many security holes due to its complexity. I have had multiple attempts to hack my system, had viruses attempt many times to send out spam to people in my email address book, etc., all of which have been thwarted by good security software that anybody can use.
Now which of these is the more secure – FaceBook or Windows? Am I going to quit using Windows because of the security issues? No, I’m going to use good security software and good practices and continue to benefit from the many good things that my computer with Windows can do for me. And I’m going to continue to use FaceBook for the same reasons.
There are many who experience problems with any publicly accessed system they use. But FaceBook clearly works hard to minimize such problems. Users need to inform themselves on how to protect their privacy with the tools and options available and use them.
Hey All, I dont think anything on the web is “secure” anymore, I mean you hear of banks and major defence force systems been hacked all the time… So I dont think Any information will ever be 100% safe when its on the Net…
As you have said you have left facebook cause you are concerned about your privacy which is good, I still use facebook and the only reason I do is because what I have on my Facbook account isnt important and it doesnt matter if people see it…
My point is, If you looking for a secure Networking or Chat site I dont think it will ever happen because as soon as they secure it the hackers out there will find a way in….
Its sad that people out there intentionally do things like this to good sites!!!
Hope you all find your safe and secure sites…
the internet has never been “secure”, and likely never will be due to the fundamental drive of hackers to open anything that simply represents a challenge, which then gets twisted into a tool by marketers fueled by their fundamental drive to exploit any avenue of access to the consumers (us!) who just eat up all the supersized bs fed to us without question…:)
Is this for real or is it another JOKE? I have already used it and I had no problems? SO, now what did you post here? WHO started this one the same person that started the one about the Cartoon charactors as Pedophiles??? PLEZ growup PLEZ TODAY!
to all those leaving facebook, I am sorry these things will be on any social network you go to,, so it is about being aware and taking steps to protect self, You might as well just get off the internet all together , I mean I have been to many social networks, and sites as Tagged and dating sites, ect, and they find you there too, I change my password often, and I do not use all the apps they have on these sites,
and I research things that just do not look right, But I Like facebook and will stay,, because if I am going to be afraid of things like this all the time , I might as well just stay offline,
Facebook will require everything to be SSL (secure) soon, so you won’t have to worry. Half the stuff there is already secure. You can tell in the URL when it has an s after the http (https://)
It’s not really Facebook you have to worry about it’s some of the apps , I never use any of them that want to access my data at any time I’m not using it, some will ask your permission to do that, to which I decline!! some folks will just agree to anything to use some cool app, not me anymore I always make sure what they are going to access, Read people read!! any of the apps on Facebook have to ask your permission to run, if you don’t want them to access your stuff don’t let them , just say no it will save you a lot of headaches!!
Not a hoax
http://www.geeksquad.com/intelligence/blog/tag/facebook/
Right from the geeksquad site
Bernie, you probably ought to actually READ the page you’ve linked to.