Spider-Man: No Way Home is the latest in Marvel's long-running series of hit movies to hit theaters. Therefore, it is not surprising that cybercriminals use it to spread malware. So while you shouldn't torrent the movie anyway, the fact that it's likely loaded with malware should give it even more pause.
ZDNet reports that cybersecurity firm ReasonLabs has found Monero miners connected to Spider-Man: No Way Home torrents. And there are many ways built into the crypto miner for it not only to remain undetected, but also to ensure that they continue to function.
To get started, the miner adds itself to the Windows Defender exclusion list. It also creates a watchdog process to ensure it continues to function. And to keep other security programs out of your way, you use "legitimate" names for your files and processes. It is also not present in VirusTotal yet.
While crypto mining malware is not as harmful as ransomware, for example, it is still not something you want your PC to detect. Your system will not only slow down due to the miner being a resource hoarder, but you will also pay more on the electricity bill. All in all, you should stay away from torrents, especially a movie that is still showing in theaters.
(Fountain: ZDNet)
