Warning about jimdo.com links does loosely describe real type of threat

ByCraig Haley

A warning is spreading social media claiming of a “hack going around” that presents itself as a PM from a friend asking you to click a link to a video that leads to a jimdo.com webpage.

An example of the warning can be seen below –

There is a Hack going around and it is in a PM from a friend asking if you are in a video and it comes from jimdo.com if you open it they then hack you as well please don’t click on the video. The person that it is sent from doesn’t even know they have sent it

While the warning uses some lazy and generic pseudo-jargon (a “hack”, for example) is does potentially describe a real threat that could affect social media users.

Here is what to look out for…

Any suspicious message sent from a Facebook friend that prompts you to click a link to an unknown website. This can include the jimdo.com website since that is a site that allows third parties to build their own webpages which can potentially be used for malicious purposes.

If you do happen across this type of scam, one of three things is likely to happen if you do click the link…

1. You’ll be re-directed to a Facebook App installation page, which will ask you for permission to install an app on your Facebook account. (e.g. a rogue Facebook app scam.)
2. You’ll be prompted to enter your Facebook login information to a page that looks like the Facebook login page (a Facebook phishing scam.)
3. You’ll be asked to download files to continue. (a malware or rogue browser extension attack.)

If you click the link and do any one of those three things (install the app, enter your login information or download the files) then you have fallen for a scam and this will likely result in your own Facebook account posting the same message that you received, to all your friends.


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Note: Unless this scam is capitalising on a software vulnerability (it probably isn’t) then merely clicking the initial link should not be enough to compromise your security. But, of course, we still don’t recommend doing it.

If you did anyone of the following things listed above, it is important you carry out the following remedy acts to prevent your account posting the same message and to prevent your own security being at risk.

1. If you installed a Facebook app, uninstall it from your settings.
2. If you entered your login information into a spoof login page, change your Facebook password.
3. If you downloaded any files to your computer, run a full security scan with your antivirus and check what browser extensions you have installed on your browser, removing any suspicious ones. You can Google “remove Browser extensions on…” followed by the name of your browser for full instructions on that.

And if you did fall for this scam, warn your Facebook friends not to trust any messages and links you may have sent as a result.
And while we’re here, a couple things to straighten out –

This isn’t a “hack”. It’s a somewhat primitive scam, and falling for it doesn’t mean you’ve been “hacked”.

The scammers needed you to fall for this scam. They didn’t magically compromise your account. They did so because you did not follow elementary security advice. Sorry!

Of course the same old advice applies here – to avoid these types of scams, don’t click suspicious links, even from friends. Don’t enter your Facebook login information unless you’re sure you’re on the real Facebook login page and don’t install Facebook apps or other files unless you trust them.

Keep up-to-date with all the latest cybersecurity threats and our tips to stay safe online. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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