A spate of security threats on social networking site Facebook has highlighted the need for online security for its users. Social networking sites, like Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, have become a prime target for malicious software and spam experts.

This is because such sites tend to host a vast amount of personal information, ranging from family details to pets names - information that could make it much easier for spammers to hack into online accounts. Facebook in particular has been susceptible to security threats as it is the leading social network, with over 175 million users worldwide.

According to the AFP, David Perry, global director of education at software security firm Trend Micro, said: "There are so many people on social networking sites it is becoming profitable for bad guys to go there. Bad guys can see all the things you post. You may be revealing personal information that is extremely valuable."

One instance of malicious software that is affecting Facebook users is the Koobface worm. A recent blog post from Rik Ferguson at Trend Micro identified that a new version of this worm was spreading through Facebook, directing users to a URL that hosted a YouTube video purporting to have been posted by one of their friends.

And last week, malicious software masquerading as a Facebook application plagued users by notifying them that their profile would be shut down if they did not follow certain instructions. These instructions then installed bogus software on users' computers. Facebook officials, however, shut the application down very quickly.

In order to avoid being the victim of such attacks, Facebook users are advised to exercise caution when publishing personal details on their profile and to invest in a comprehensive internet security package to ensure that their machine detects malicious software.