CORRECTION: The original version of this story stated that the "If I Die" Facebook app is malware. In fact the "If I Die" Facebook app is not what was considered malware. Rather, there is an email going around with attached malware masquerading as the app. We regret the error and any confusion it may have caused. The article has been updated to reflect the correct information.
The premise of a popular new Facebook app called "If I Die" is sweet if a little morbid: You record a video message that will be played for your loved ones after your death. As the app advertisement says: "Death can catch you anywhere, anytime. Leave your If I Die message before it's too late."
It's so popular that there's now an email making the rounds promising to install the app on your Facebook page. There's just one catch: The emailed version of the app is a fake, and if you download it, the only thing dying will be your computer's security.
Spotted by researchers at the anti-virus firm Bitdefender, the fake "If I Die" email harbors a nasty payload, including a keylogger that can steal passwords, emails and any other sensitive information stored on your system.
The dangerous installation file also implants a back door, opening up victims' computers to receive commands from remote sources such as botnets, and even can take photos from infected computers' webcams.
Installing the fake "If I Die" app, Bitdefender warns, is essentially "signing the death certificate on your computer's security."
There are ways to stay out of trouble. First, be skeptical of Facebook apps and links embedded in emails, text message or instant messages, even those from friends. Also, make sure you are running up-to-date anti-virus software on your computer. And perhaps most importantly, be smart and use common sense. Think before you download something that looks suspicious or could in any way be a scam, especially when it relates to Facebook.