New 'Fan Check' Malware Infests Google, Yahoo Search

The latest case of malware infestation is once again targeting Facebook, this time masquerading as a virus removal kit designed to rid the computer world of a bogus "Fan Check" bug.

Fan Check: Valid App, but 'Bug' is Bogus

While the Fan Check "bug" does not really exist, Fan Check is in fact a valid Facebook application used on Facebook.com. The purpose of the Fan Check application is to rank friends based on how often they interact with your Facebook pages. (Source: facebook.com).

The new malware, however, is rather devious because it pretends to defend against a made-up virus, while in actuality it is eliciting one of its own. The reason for the success of the false anti-virus is because it capitalizes on the novelty of the term "Fan Check". This provides a perfect platform for hackers to ply their trade. (Source: sophos.com)

Fan Check Malware: Details of the Scam

Here's how the hack works: a person researches the term "Fan Check" by searching for it online using Google, Bing, Yahoo, or any major search portal.

The online search engine then pulls up a list of results, with some web pages set up by hackers in an attempt to trap the inquiring person. The information tells of the horrors of the latest "Fan Check virus" to get unsuspecting victims to install fraudulent software and relinquish credit card information.

Hackers are essentially playing on paranoia with great success. When people are led to believe that "Fan Check" is a virus, some will readily give out their financial information to immunize their computer against it. (Source: yahoo.com)

Analysts: Consult Reputable Sites Only

Analysts are asking those in need of malware information to resist the urge to simply "Google" the term, and instead, consult a reputable tech news medium (like Infopackets.com). If there is a new piece of malware making its rounds, these mediums will usually report it first.