Squid Game scams, malware pop up online to lure fans — what you need to do

The armed guards walking through rows of Squid Game competitors

(Image credit: Youngkyu Park)

The massive popularity of the Netflix show Squid Game has been noticed by cybercriminals who are crafting Windows and Android malware to take advantage of the show's entreatment.

"Squid Game themed Android Joker," tweeted ESET security researcher Lukas Stefanko final calendar week, warning of a new variant of the Joker premium-SMS malware in the Google Play App store. "Running this app on device might result in malicious advertising-fraud and/or unwanted SMS subscription actions."

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Meanwhile, rival antivirus firm Kaspersky said its researchers had recently constitute "several dozen different malicious files on the web with names mentioning Squid Game" that included "Trojans, adware, faux streams and even phishy offers of Halloween costumes."

Squid Game themed Android Joker1) downloads and executes native lib2) native lib downloads and executes apk payloadRunning this app on device might result in malicious ad-fraud and/or unwanted SMS subscription actionshttps://t.co/PTDtPlUkBy motion picture.twitter.com/AFs8gkEuabOctober 19, 2021

"The Squid Game becoming a new hit lure was simply a question of time," said Kaspersky's Anton Five. Ivanov. "Equally with any other trending topic, cybercriminals accept a practiced hunch about what is going to work and what isn't."

How to avert Squid Game scams

To avoid being infected by or lured in past Squid Game scams or malware, don't download or install anything on a Windows PC that offers to show you pirated episodes or show-related games.

On Android, stick to the official Google Play store and don't get apps from other sources. And make certain you're running some of the best Windows 10 antivirus programs and one of the best Android antivirus apps.

Many of the malicious files pretend to exist episodes of the show or related animated clips, luring in people who don't have Netflix accounts or who merely tin can't get plenty Squid Game.

Most are in fact "downloaders" that can install more malicious files on Windows systems, Kaspersky said. Some steal passwords and other sensitive information from desktop web browsers.

Kaspersky described a Squid Game-related Android Trojan that opens new browsers tabs or secretly sends out SMS letters from infected phones, perhaps spam or new links to download itself.

"This Trojan is distributed in unofficial app stores and diverse portals nether the guise of other pop applications, games, and books," Kaspersky said.

The malicious app mentioned by Stefanko, however, has been removed from the Google Play Store.

Bogus Squid Game Halloween costumes

Some other danger, warned Kaspersky, is fake Squid Game online stores. Reports of shortages of Squid Game Halloween costumes may be creating more than need, and fraudulent retailers are springing up offering simply such items.

But, says Kaspersky, "when shopping on such sites, users gamble non receiving the trade and losing their money."

"Moreover, targets terminate upwards sharing with cybercriminals their banking and personal identity information since they are asked to provide carte du jour details and personal information, including an e-mail address, residence address, and full name."

In the most 2021 scam of all, several websites found by Kaspersky allow visitors play online versions of Squid Game competitions in club to "win" prizes in cryptocurrency such as 100 Binance money. (Binance is under investigation by the U.South. Section of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service for possible tax evasion and coin laundering.)

It seems that competitors accept to also provide some personal details, which are at risk from this phishing scheme.

"Needless to say, the thespian never receives the promised reward and ends up losing their data or downloading malware," Kaspersky said.

Paul Wagenseil is a senior editor at Tom'south Guide focused on security and privacy. He has likewise been a dishwasher, fry cook, long-haul driver, code monkey and video editor. He'due south been rooting around in the information-security space for more 15 years at FoxNews.com, SecurityNewsDaily, TechNewsDaily and Tom'due south Guide, has presented talks at the ShmooCon, DerbyCon and BSides Las Vegas hacker conferences, shown upwardly in random TV news spots and even moderated a console give-and-take at the CEDIA dwelling-applied science conference. You can follow his rants on Twitter at @snd_wagenseil.