These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For

Depositphotos_92724852_s-2019 Researchers at Kaspersky have identified sixty-five malicious files masquerading as online copies of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, TechRepublic reports. The files are spread via phishing sites and social media accounts that pose as official movie pages. In addition to distributing malware, the sites also ask users to enter their credit card data before they can watch the film.

The phishing sites contain detailed descriptions of the movie in order to bump the site higher up in search results. The attackers also spread links on social media sites like Twitter. They intentionally manipulate their SEO so that their phishing sites show up when a user is searching for a free version of a movie or show. For example, searching for “rise of skywalker watch free” will likely turn up a number of malicious results near the top.

Tatiana Sidorina, a security researcher at Kaspersky, said in a statement that attackers frequently take advantage of popular movies and shows to spread malware.

“It is typical for fraudsters and cybercriminals to try to capitalize on popular topics, and Star Wars is a good example of such a theme this month,” Sidorina said. “As attackers manage to push malicious websites and content up in the search results, fans need to remain cautious at all times. We advise users to not fall for such scams and instead enjoy the end of the saga on the big screen.”

Kaspersky recommends that users confirm the legitimacy of sites before visiting them. Trying to watch pirated movies online is always a bad idea, and you’re very likely to get your computer infected with malware. While some of the phishing sites in this case posed as official movie pages, common sense dictates that a legitimate version of a movie like Star Wars isn’t going to be released online for free while it’s still in theaters. New-school security awareness training can help your employees avoid falling for these schemes by teaching them to recognize the hallmarks of social engineering.

TechRepublic has the story: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/phishers-prey-on-fans-of-latest-star-wars-film/

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