Squid Game Season 2: Warning issued to fans wanting to stream new episodes of Netflix hit

Squid Game series has quickly become one of the biggest hits ever to stream on Netflix and now cyber criminals are trying to cash in on the global success of this boxset. Since the South Korean survival drama first aired back in September, there has been an explosion in scams employing sneaky tactics to try and steal users names and passwords to gain access to bank accounts.

The latest batch of threats has been spotted by the cyber security team at Proofpoint, who claim thieves are sending out large swathes of emails claiming to offer fans early access to season 2 of the show.

The messages – which use subject lines such as “Squid Game is back, watch the new season before anyone else” – ask the victim to fill out an attached document to get early and exclusive access to the new episodes which are yet been released. For fans of this hit show that may sound like an offer that’s too good to refuse, but be warned.

Once clicked, the document actually sets about installing a dangerous type of malware called Dridex.

This prolific banking trojan is not only capable of accessing private banks accounts but can also lead to data theft and the installation of other nasty malware including ransomware.

If you weren’t already aware, Ransomware is a form of malware designed to encrypt files on a victims device, rendering them totally unusable. Malicious actors then demand a ransom in exchange for decryption.

It’s thought that a group called TA575 is behind this new cyber campaign with them sending thousands of malware-packed emails across the globe.

Speaking about the threat, the team at Proofpoint said: “We have identified the large cybercrime actor TA575 distributing Dridex malware using Squid Game lures. The threat actor is purporting to be entities associated with the Netflix global phenomenon using emails enticing targets to get early access to a new season of Squid Game or to become a part of the TV show casting.”

If you receive any emails claiming to offer early access to Squid Game the advice is to delete them immediately and not to be tempted to click on links or download any files as this could leave your PC at risk of attack.