Beware of free Barbie tickets, download links; they could be gateway to malware attacks

If you are one afflicted with Barbie fever, courtesy Greta Gerwig’s fantasy film based on the iconic doll, here’s a word of caution: Be very wary of clicking on any Barbie-related links on the internet, for they could be malware disguised as free tickets to the film or ‘download movie’ links.

With cyber criminals cashing in on the hype around the blockbuster film to hack into personal data of fans, a recent survey done by computer security software company McAfee has found that India is the third-most vulnerable country to have fallen prey to malware and scams related to the Barbie movie.

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India third-most scammed country

According to the survey, hundreds of new malware instances were reported in the three weeks leading up to the release of the film. The maximum number of cases – around 37 per cent – was reported in the US, followed by Australia (six per cent). India and the UK reported five per cent each of the cases while France, Japan and Ireland accounted for 3 per cent of the cases.

Steve Grobman, McAfee’s chief technology officer, said that a majority of the scam involved setting up fake Barbie websites, online offers and links to download the film or buy related merchandise.

“Cybercriminals are always on the lookout for opportunities to make phishing and other scams more attractive and believable,” he said. “They often leverage popular and well-publicised events to trick users into clicking on malicious links. And Barbie is an attractive target. We are seeing a number of different cyber criminals using malware to largely steal data from people.”

Also read: ‘Barbieheimer’: Everything you need to know about the cinematic phenomenon

‘Redline Stealer’ malware

Quoting the MaAfee study, Grobman said cybercriminals woo unsuspecting Barbie fans with links of movie downloads or free Barbie tickets to activate the malware known as the Redline Stealer. The malware is then used to steal personal data, login details and other sensitive data from the phones, devices, computers, and apps like VPN and cryptocurrency wallets of the users.

“Sharing personal and financial information with these scam sites leads to identity theft and fraud. Scammers might commit these follow-on crimes themselves, and they might post the stolen information for resale on dark web marketplaces as well – all of which puts movie fans at risk,” McAfee said in a press release.

How to stay safe

Users are advised to be discreet before clicking on any Barbie-related links on the internet. It is always good to trust well-known retailers and apps while buying movie tickets and merchandise and being sceptical when shown any ads or offers of free tickets or movie downloads.

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Users should also keep an eye out for sites that are shabbily designed, have grammatical errors and ask for money or personal details as these are telltale signs of a scam. Scammers are known for designing websites around popular events and films to lure fans. It is easy to identify such websites as they are hastily put together, lack enough information about the founders/owners and a clean interface.