Harry Potter is a household name around the globe which is good news for author J.K. Rowling and everyone associated with the production of yet another feature film based on the series.
But as eSecurity Planet reports, with the release of new film comes new malware opportunities for scam artists hoping to take advantage of the franchise’s popularity and Internet users’ naivety.
In a security advisory on its website, PC Tools security analysts are warning fans to be careful when searching for anything related to Deathly Hallows because “cybercriminals are targeting unsuspecting fans for identity fraud and spam with websites popping up in online searches promising to offer a free download of the movie, and fake users of the sites are posting attractive blog comments like ‘Me and my wife watched this movie here. This movie is great =).'”
But there’s no free movie to download after all the user’s personal information has been disclosed.
While movie fans anxiously await the Nov. 19 release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, malware authors are already using the franchise’s appeal to lure unsuspecting victims to tainted websites and information-stealing links.
According to security software vendor PC Tools, this latest theatrical version of J.K. Rowling’s astoundingly popular fantasy novel series is already being used as lure to attract fans looking for a sneak peak at what’s sure to be one of the holiday season’s hit box office attractions.
