Got a free movie site? — Don’t fall for it
You are too happy to watch a movie online because you got it for free. While you are watching it, THEY are watching you.
Most of the so-called free movie or video sites in the world have got key-stroke logging software. I am not telling every site got this. But just think, how can they offer you an HD quality movie for free that invested lakhs to develop the site, maintain huge databases, and have the bandwidth to air the movies?
You can never claim that you did nothing in a cybercrime/fraud incident that happened to you. One hand can’t clap. To break into any system and cause some damage, every hacker has to go through certain mandatory steps.
Such sites typically run JavaScript setting an unauthorized application download without your knowledge.
Next, you take some action — you click on the video icon or the link
This is when the site downloads a remote rooting function/program. The next alert box or pop-up appears simply as “Use headphones for the best experience”. But behind it, the site is simply asking your permission to root/jailbreak your device.
Most of the devices can be remotely rooted and once it is done, they install a keystroke logger.
Everything happens in a matter of a few seconds while you bear a big smile on your face excited to watch your favorite movie for free!
For this ability to put the key loggers in your phones, Hackers pay these sites in millions.
You do all your banking transactions on your phone. The moment you key in the credentials in the banking apps, the hackers record them. Or these days maybe you are having a Bitcoin wallet.
The next day you realize that your bank balance is disappeared.
It has got nothing to do with bank apps or Bitcoin wallets. You gave away your money in the greed to watch a video or movie online for free!
Well, you may tell me that nothing like that has happened so far though you have watched hundreds of movies on free sites.
Hackers are not idiots. They have invested days, months, and even years to get into a gold mine and if they suck out only 10 people’s money, the very next day, the Ethical hackers will tell the whole world as to how to protect.
So usually, all the hackers will wait for one great day in a year or two and ensure that millions of people’s bank accounts are emptied out. It is humanly impossible to even realize which site caused this from thousands of sites in your browsing history.
There is a high chance that hackers have watched all your lovey-dovey text message key-strokes and started blackmailing you.
“If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear for” — is one of the stupid and unrealistic statements applied to you in the digital world. We all have something to hide — benign or hostile.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). Do Your Part, be #CyberSmart
