Facebook is launching its own virus-scanning software to combat the rise in malware being spread through the social network.
Facebook already has agreements with F-Secure and Trend Micro to offer embedded software and antivirus protection, and has now added support from ESET which will offer a free antivirus scan.
Facebook said that increasing the number of security companies that it works with boosts the protection that its users receive.
“A larger number of providers increases the chances that malware will get caught and cleaned up, which will help people on Facebook keep their information more secure,”Facebook said in a post on the firm’s engineering blog.
“Together, these three systems will help us block malicious links and harmful sites from populating the news feeds and messages of the 1.35 billion people who use Facebook.”
The ESET tool lets Facebook users scan for any problems with their computer or mobile device.
Support from Facebook means that this scanning, and any associated remedies, can take place without having to leave the social network.
Users will be prompted to run the scan on logging on to Facebook, and can have any threats “safely removed”.
The system is currently live, and access to the software is provided through Facebook. Results are delivered via Facebook notifications.
The move comes as an increasing number of scams and malicious software have taken to spreading through Facebook, attracted by the 1.35 billion monthly active users.
The social network hopes the new free anti-virus service will help cut down on the amount of malware spread through Facebook, tackling the cause directly.