If you haven't watched the final installment in the Star Wars saga at a theater near you, there's a very good chance that you might consider streaming the film online. After all, it's Christmas season and the new Star Wars movie will obviously be high on everybody's holiday season binge watching bucket list.
And who doesn't want to skip those long queues outside movie halls and watch the movie in the comfort of their homes. However, if you have any such plans you might want to reconsider them, right now.
Fans of Star Wars the world over have been warned to not to try and watch the latest 'The Rise of Skywalker' online in order to safeguard themselves from falling victim to various cybercrime scams that are being run in the guise of streaming services.
Security experts have uncovered multiple fake online streaming sites that promise to show you the new film. However, if you sign up on one of these sites you might run the risk of having your credit card details stolen and sold by cybercriminals who are looking for their targets online.
Kaspersky found 30 fraudulent websites
The warning comes from Internet security company, Kaspersky which says that it has already found some 30 fraudulent websites and social media profiles disguised as official movie accounts which steal your card data under the pretext of showing the visitors free copies of the new film.
According to a blog post by Kaspersky Labs, "These websites collect unwary users' credit card data, under the pretense of necessary registration on the portal." Kaspersky also notes that the number of such fake movie accounts and sites could be way higher due to the popularity and anticipation around the film.
Found 65 malicious online files
Meanwhile, the cybersecurity team at Kaspersky has also found 65 malicious online files that are disguised as downloadable copies of the film. There are also several social media profiles claiming to be official accounts that promise to give you working links to download the movie. But the catch here is that the victims will not be redirected to the movie download link buy will instead receive malware-loaded files that could quickly attack their devices.
The antivirus software provider has already reported over 100 cases of Star Wars-related malware infections. In total, Kaspersky has reported 285,103 attempts to infect around 37,772 users who were looking to watch new Star Wars movies in 2019. Since Star Wars is one of the biggest movie franchises in the world with millions of fans worldwide, it makes for a very good trap for scammers to use the anticipation as a trap to catch many victims unawares.
Best movie for perfect trap
As one Kaspersky researcher outs it: "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."
It is highly advisable for fans and those who are looking to watch the movie online or download the movie from the internet to remain cautious at all times and not to fall for such scams. Moreover, you might consider buying a movie ticket instead as the movie is best enjoyed in a theater.
