Black Widow Buffs Bitten by Backdoor Bluffs

Published: July 14, 2021, 7:45am

In a move that would easily fit into the playbook of a minor villain in a Marvel comics side-arc, some cybercriminals have taken an easy route to their end goals: exploiting fans’ fervor for free stuff. 

Last week, security researchers discovered phishing, malicious files, and other types of fraud hiding behind fake promotions related to the highly anticipated release of the movie Black Widow, due out on July 9^th. The movie’s release has reportedly been delayed several times since May of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. This has allowed cybercriminals to create and intensify scamming efforts by leveraging popular interest in the movie. Phishing emails offered links claiming to provide a ‘first look’ at the movie, and some have also included malicious executable files, pretending to be downloads of the film.

Next Steps

Cybersecurity professionals warn that the adage “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” applies to these types of phishing emails. Users are advised to pay close attention to website addresses and to hover over links. Email security services can also help prevent phishing attacks.