subject: What Are Rogue Browser Extensions And How To Prevent Fraudster From Entering Your Facebook Account? [print this page] Facebook has given a new face to online social networking by connecting millions of people residing in different corners of the global village. The campaign took off as a social networking initiative and now it has taken the shape of an effective means of social media marketing, events promotion and easy communication. With time people started sharing their personal and vital information among their respective groups. Scammers look for such opportunities to steal data and misuse them for meeting malicious ends. According to a recent revelation spammers have started using rogue browser extensions to trap Facebook users.
A discrete group of researchers have unearthed the fact that Facebook users are induced by attackers to install browsers with rogue extensions so that the latter can gain access to certain videos or obtain free vouchers. Once the account gets infected and logs in from rogue browser the add-ons post unsolicited messages that are not authorized by the user. These add-ons use the Facebook API (Application Programming Interface) and are displayed as DivX plug-ins or 'coupon generator'.
The scams that have been detected so far are authored to find the user's browser and induce them to use the rogue extensions with their Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome browsers. Once the browser is infected, the scammers get access to the Facebook account. Unlike rogue browser scams, scams using rogue Facebook apps, malicious Javascript and clickjacking do not sustain for long as Facebook takes periodic measures to stop such scams and block them on their servers.
The vicious activities of scammers can be prevented by taking certain measures and precautions. As users check their Facebook accounts from more than one computer, it is not easy to convince them to uninstall the rogue browsers. However, you can certainly control this problem to a certain extent by exercising certain precautions. If you require to install plug-ins to watch a video or get voucher then tread cautiously because it may be a trap to spread scam, malware or spam. So the best way of preventing scams on your Facebook account is to install add-ons or plug-ins only after verifying its source and veracity.
If you have already fallen prey to such scammers and your Facebook account has been hacked then it is a serious issue as your personal details including images and videos can reach wrong hands. You need to take immediate action to prevent any more of such issues. The best way of restoring the privacy and security of your Facebook account is to call an experienced computer support service provider. Their online security experts help you protect your account and offer you consultation about how to keep such scammers at bay.
