Yet another rogue application is plaguing Twitter as thousands of users have been unceremoniously duped into clicking a malicious link.
The link, which purportedly informs users how many hours they have spent on Twitter, is actually a malicious app disguised by a shortened URL.
If you click the “infected” bit.ly link, you are taken to a Twitter page which asks you to authorize access for an application known as “Time on Tweeter.”
When “allow” is clicked, the malicious program instantly sends a tweet to a your feed, announcing that you, like thousands of others, have spent 11.6 hours on Twitter.
Other copycat scammers have disseminated similar links claiming Twitter members spent 10.6 hours on the social networking site.
So, bit.ly and the infamously infected http://goo.gl / links are obviously links to be wary of.
Spreading the link virally, the malicious app then directs you to a page with a revenue-generating survey for the scammers.
If you allowed the application access to your account, Sophos Security expert Graham Cluley recommends you immediately revoke the app’s access and reset your password.
Cluley also warns users to be extremely careful when clicking on shortened links, because the links could take users to malicious or infected websites.
Aside from trusting the person who sent out the tweet, it’s always important to be careful which applications you’re allowing access to your account.
