Malicious Software Found in All Illegal New Movie Downloads

SAN ANGELO— Illegally downloading summer blockbusters and other movies for free could end up costing more than just buying the movie.

Movie fans hoping to watch summer blockbusters for free should think again, with Twitter links leading them to sites containing phishing, malware and other malicious software, reveals research by cybersecurity company NordVPN.

Searches for Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 were the riskiest of recent big releases, with 13 phishing warnings, 19 malicious links, six malware concerns and one suspicious link in the ten most popular links on Twitter. 

Animated flick The Super Mario Bros. Movie had the second-most red flags, with three phishing, 15 malicious links and five malware warnings. Box office smash hit Barbie was in third place, with 16 malicious links and three suspicious warnings. 

While mainstream movies typically attract more Twitter links, some of the sites claiming to show more arthouse films drew some of the most warnings per link.

The sole Twitter link claiming to show Oppenheimer for free had 11 warnings, including five malicious links, three phishing concerns and three malware links. Killers of the Flower Moon by legendary director Martin Scorsese had six red flags in one link.

Malicious links are more commonly found on Twitter than search engines like Google Chrome, which filter out most search results that are obviously copyright infringements.

Malware is malicious software that seeks to damage or compromise a device or data. Malware’s scope varies from relatively harmless to extremely dangerous. Malicious software can track people’s data, steal sensitive information, or even delete it without your consent. 

 Among the most common types of malware are viruses, spyware, worms, trojans, adware, scareware, ransomware, and fireless malware.

 NordVPN’s Threat Protection feature, whose sole purpose is to protect people from such threats, blocked 344 million trackers, 341 million intrusive ads, and 506,000 malware infections in one month alone. 

 Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity advisor at NordVPN, comments: “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.

 “If nothing else, trying to watch films this way is like searching for a needle in a haystack, with few of the links providing a watchable movie.

 “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.

 “Always stay cautious when clicking on a link, even on a trustworthy website, and use anti-malware tools like Threat Protection.”

Threat Protection scans your files before you download them, identifies threats, and blocks them before they can harm your device. The feature is free with every NordVPN subscription – and it allows you to go online without leaving a trace, protecting your privacy and improving your digital security.