May 15, 2023
ReasonLabs researchers have discovered that hackers are cleverly integrating malware into illegal downloads of the widely anticipated “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
The malicious effort began on April 30, right after the entire film was released. This virus, according to the research, has been used over 150,000 times in the past, mostly to target counterfeit copies of major movies and software.
The threat is claimed to be impacting a staggering number of people across the world who unknowingly download what they perceive to be a pirated copy of the movie, only to discover a covert installation of a harmful web extension once their browsers open.
This browser extension quickly takes over the search function, searching for critical financial data and saved user information, including passwords. Researchers discovered that the extension primarily targets the Google Chrome web browser, which presents a dilemma for impacted users because it cannot be deleted using tools accessible in the Chrome Web Store, limiting Google’s ability to assist.
Although cyber attackers have long included viruses into unauthorized media downloads, the issue is how long the appeal of free access to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will last once it is accessible for streaming.
The sources for this piece include an article in Axios.
