Facebook partners with F-Secure

F-Secure and Facebook have partnered to help users of the world’s largest social network stay safe online.

With F-Secure’s technology, Facebook will offer a browser-based malware scanner as a free service. The service will be available to Facebook users whose account has been temporarily frozen due to suspicious activity caused by a potential malware infection. Malware or unwanted software on a computer or device can disrupt normal device performance, steal personal information, or gain access to a system. It can abuse Facebook users and their friends by posting malicious links or spam which appear to come from a legitimate user’s account.

 “Helping people stay safe on Facebook is a hugely important part of what we do and we’re glad to be adding the strength of F-Secure’s anti-virus technology to our existing systems to block and eradicate malware,” said Chetan Gowda, Software Engineer at Facebook.

 “Facebook’s dramatic global growth has significantly changed how people interact with their friends and family,” said Arto Saari, Product Manager at F-Secure. “In turn, Facebook’s popularity has made it a major target for online criminals. We are pleased to partner with Facebook to stop cybercriminals from taking advantage of Facebook’s user base for malicious ends.”

 F-Secure’s malware scanning and cleanup technology is fully integrated to the Facebook user experience. When Facebook identifies an account behaving suspiciously, it will redirect the user to the cleanup process. The scan and cleanup is executed directly in the browser window, inside Facebook. After cleanup is complete, the user can securely log into their Facebook account, safe from hackers and spyware.