Hackers choose the busiest waters to cast their hooks. It makes sense: there are more “fish” to catch. This strategy is confirmed again with the virus Super Mario 3: Mario Foreverwhich is strictly a malware hidden in a free—and illegal—version of one of the most popular games of all time.
According to informed the company Kaspersky, so far in 2023, more than 300,000 attacks have been recorded in various regions of the world, including Spain and Latin American countries. The risk is high: potentially, downloading the title opens the door to theft of sensitive information.
Super Mario 3: Mario Forever is an unofficial installment created by fans of the Nintendo jewel, available for PC. It is not surprising that cybercriminals use it as an avenue for their attacks. It happens that the plumber is going through a renewed popularity, after the premiere of his blockbuster movie and the arrival of new games on the Switch.
How does the virus work in Super Mario 3?
Security experts found several game versions infecting devices with malware. Another serious problem, of course, is that it has not been possible to stop its availability. Once it becomes popular on the internet, it is almost impossible to stop its spread. Many people also do not realize that they are downloading software from unofficial channels.
In practice, the virus in Super Mario 3: Mario Forever injects mining malware. The purpose is steal credentials to access financial services. The cybercriminals then install a malware known as Threshold Strealer, which they use to steal more sensitive data.
With this scheme, cybercriminals obtain relevant information such as credentials stored in browsers, electronic wallet keys, and tokens login. They can also obtain screenshots of the compromised computers and control of web cameras.
Security alert: the undesirable consequences after installing the infected game
Following the experts of the aforementioned firm, when the victims fall into the trap they suffer a series of harmful effects, including:
- Infected devices slow down.
- They also consume more power than usual, due to the execution of maintenance tasks. background mining.
- As indicated, personal information is at risk of falling into the hands of attackers.
- The biggest risk is the loss of financial assets.
Spain is among the ten countries with the highest number of reports associated with this computer attack. The list where the virus attacks in Super Mario 3 It is headed by Mexico, followed by Russia, Brazil and Colombia. Others from Latin America also appear, such as Peru and Ecuador.
For the rest, some of the platforms that are compromised are the Telegram messenger, the Roblox gaming service, the video game Minecraftand Discord, ensures the report.
Tips to avoid the virus in Super Mario 3: Mario Forever
Kaspersky writes down a series of recommendations to avoid attacks of this kind. Is about information security maxims applicable in various scenarios and circumstances.
- Privilege downloads on official platforms: programs in other environments are potentially harmful, as they do not have the required security measures. However, it is important to note that the software malicious also circulates in environments with supposed guarantees.
- Be wary of very tempting promises: In this case, it is safe to think that a precious video game will not be offered for free. Or that, if that happens, free access is a potential danger.
- Use password managers: To avoid the action of cybercriminals, it is recommended to use these environments and not store keys in web browsers.
- Information to power!: It is the fundamental recommendation to guarantee safety. An informed user is always a more difficult prey to catch.