Facebook is helping its users out with more than connecting with their friends and family on the online service with the news it is to offer security software.

"We want to help you take the offensive by having the latest security software installed on your computer", says the social networking giant in a blog post.

"We are announcing a year-long partnership with McAfee to offer all 350 million people who use Facebook the ability to download a 6-month subscription to McAfee security software at no cost, along with a special discount once the 6 months are over".

While Facebook highlights all the actions it takes to help keep user's accounts secure it seems it will now, thanks to some "custom McAfee software", be judging whether user's computers are "infected" and if so, "asking" them to run a McAfee scan before being able to access Facebook.

This last move is a little controversial and it will be interesting to see how it works in practice. At this stage the "special discount" price for the security software after the 6 months is up does not appear to have been revealed.

You can take advantage of this offer, says Facebook, by visiting the "Protect Your PC" tab on the McAfee Page on Facebook which will guide you through the process to install McAfee Internet Security.