Be careful when watching movies online! They are spreading this dangerous virus
Malware can be very diverse and arrive from very different sources. In this article we discuss the malware that is distributed when watching movies online. Specifically, pirated versions of movies that you can find on different pages or platforms. We will explain what it is and what you should do to protect yourself against this specific problem, but also against other similar threats that may be present.
This malware affects the computer. It is executed, and from that moment on, it starts working. It can seriously compromise security and privacy, so necessary measures should be taken to avoid it. We have seen at times that pirated content is often widely used by cybercriminals to achieve their goals.
They have named this threat Peaklight. It is actually a program that acts as a pirated movie downloader. The program itself is not harmful, but the processes it installs are. This is what causes real problems on your computer. It directly targets users who are looking to download pirated movies from the internet.
When the victim installs this malware, it downloads a LNK file that contains an icon like a movie file. The hackers program this file to open PowerShell and download Peaklight.
But how does this attack start? What the victim does is search for a pirated movie that he is supposed to be interested in. He goes to the web page and starts downloading a ZIP file, inside of which is the LNK file we mentioned. The victim thinks he has already downloaded the movie and will open this file and this is where the attack begins.
Once the malicious payload is installed, the malware can take action. It will be hidden, so you won’t be able to find it easily. From there, it starts stealing all sorts of information and compromising the victim’s privacy, without them even realizing it. Logically, what you will see is that you haven’t downloaded any movies.
- How to protect yourself
To protect yourself from this problem, it is as simple as not downloading pirated content. Never trust strange pages, where they invite you to download a file that supposedly contains that movie, program or whatever you are looking for. It can be a trap, and as you can see, it contains malware prepared to infect your computer. Checking whether the website is trustworthy is essential.
It is important to install a good antivirus program. This will help you detect potential threats and reduce the risk of your computer getting infected with a virus. There are many options, but we always recommend installing a reliable one.
In short, be careful when downloading movies from the Internet. It is possible that you may download a file that actually contains malware. It is essential that you take preventive measures to avoid falling victim to such attacks.