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Change your password now: Meta warns at least 1 million Facebook accounts may be compromised due to malware apps, report says

FILE - The Facebook logo is displayed on an iPad in Philadelphia, May 16, 2012. Facebook says it has identified and stopped a sprawling network of fake accounts that spread Russian propaganda about the invasion of Ukraine throughout Western Europe. Facebook parent company Meta says the network created 60 websites that mimicked legitimate news organizations but parroted Russian talking points about Ukraine. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) (Matt Rourke, Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribu)

Facebook users may want to take caution and change your passwords as soon as possible after the network warns more than one million accounts may be compromised, according to a report by Forbes.

In a report released Thursday by Meta, Facebook’s parent company, they identified at least 400 Android and iPhone malware that attempted to steal user passwords over the past year.

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The malware apps were disguised as fake photo editors, virtual private networks, and health trackers among others. Developers create these apps with “fun or with user functionality” -- a good example would be a photo editor that transforms a picture into a cartoon.

A report by The Washington Post says most of these apps apparently passed Apple and Google Play security checks and eventually made it to their official stores, which opens the door for the malware app to steal someone’s information if downloaded.

If you believe you have been compromised, Meta has asked to do the following:

  • Reset your password and create a stronger version.
  • Enable two-factor authorization, preferably using an authenticator app such as Google Authenticator or Duo.
  • Turn on log-in alerts so you’ll be notified each time someone is attempting to access your account.
  • Report any malicious apps to Meta’s Data Abuse Bounty program

To view a full list of apps Meta has identified as malware, click here.


About the Author

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.

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