The release of long awaited summer blockbusters like Barbie and Oppenheimer has led to a surge in cyber criminals targeting consumers attempting to watch them illegally, new research suggests.
Users are being redirected from links found on Twitter to sites that contain phishing, malware and other malicious software according to top cybersecurity company NordVPN.
Those hoping to unlawfully watch Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 are most at risk, according to the firm, which discovered 13 phishing warnings, 19 malicious links, six malware concerns and one suspicious link in the ten most popular links on Twitter.
Picture: Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 came out on top with 13 phishing warnings, 19 malicious links, six malware concerns and one suspicious link in the ten most popular links on Twitter
The Super Mario Bros. Movie was second in terms of security concerns with three phishing, 15 malicious links and five malware warnings
The Super Mario Bros. Movie was second in terms of security concerns, with three phishing, 15 malicious links and five malware warnings.
Barbie, the third-highest growing film of 2023, is in third place, with 16 malicious links and three suspicious warnings.
The sole Twitter link claiming to show box office hit Oppenheimer for free had 11 warnings, including five malicious links, three phishing concerns and three malware links.
Malware is malicious software that seeks to damage or compromise a device or data, and varies from relatively harmless to extremely dangerous.
The possible dangers of the malicious software include tracking people’s data, stealing sensitive information, or even deleting it without the user’s consent.
The most common types of malware include viruses, spyware, worms, trojans, adware, scareware, ransomware, and fileless malware.
Picture: Margot Robbie as Barbie. The third-highest growing film of 2023, Barbie was in third place, with 16 malicious links and three suspicious warnings
Picture: Cillian Murphy as physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. The sole Twitter link claiming to show box office hit Oppenheimer for free had 11 warnings, including five malicious links, three phishing concerns and three malware links
Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity advisor at NordVPN, said: ‘Films like Barbie and Oppenheimer have created a huge box office in recent weeks, and it’s not surprising that film fans are desperate to watch summer blockbusters at home.
‘Movie fans need to think twice before searching online, as many of the links contain phishing and malware software and you may end up getting more than you bargained for.
‘Most of these blockbusters will soon be available on reputable streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, so we suggest film fans be patient and enjoy these movies safely.’
The full list of security concerns for summer blockbusters conducted by NordVPN
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