
Facebook has been forced to remove a new malware update that has infected thousands of people.
The malware, which is named Hackearn, has now infected more than 12,000 people and infected them across the globe, according to a new report from security firm FireEye.
The latest update is believed to have been downloaded from a website run by the hacker group Anonymous.
Facebook is aware of the infection and is working to remove it.
“We’re aware of a malicious update affecting several hundred thousand users, and we are actively working to address it,” a spokesperson told the BBC.
The virus has affected people who use Facebook Messenger, as well as those who use Messenger with other people.
Facebook said it has “a high degree of confidence” that the update was not an external attack, and it is actively working with its software partners to address the issue.
“Our team is actively engaged with the malware and will continue to monitor the situation,” the spokesperson said.
The BBC’s Conor Doherty in Dublin reported that Facebook is working with other internet service providers and antivirus companies to roll out a fix to block the virus.
The update to Messenger, which affects people who log in to Facebook from mobile phones, has been removed, the spokesperson added.
“The Messenger update was removed today as a precautionary measure, and will not be installed on new accounts.
We take our responsibilities as a global leader in cloud computing very seriously.
We are working closely with the security and privacy communities around the world to protect your personal information,” the company said.”
Please use our mobile apps and Facebook Messenger for free.”
Facebook also said that users who are running on older versions of the company’s software should install the latest update.