It’s a Scam, Harry: Cybercriminals Exploit New Fantasy Game Amid the Release

“Hogwarts Legacy”, the highly anticipated Harry Potter game is being released on 10 February. The game - set in the legendary wizarding world - has millions of fans worldwide, and even became Steam and PlayStation 5’s best-seller weeks before launching officially. But, sadly Harry and his legion of Potterheads around the world are being actively targeted by cybercriminals offering downloads of cracked “Hogwarts Legacy” games for PCs amid the release.

Despite the game not even having been released yet, Kaspersky researchers already found numerous examples of sites offering downloads of “Hogwarts Legacy” on PC. However, in an attempt to download a cracked game, gamers actually downloaded malware or unwanted software on their device. The spread programs may vary from adware, throwing advertisements up on the user’s screen, to trojans, silently collecting information about the user.

Cybercriminals offer downloads of “Hogwarts Legacy” which has not come out yet

The game about the world of Harry Potter hasn’t even come out yet, but it has already become a real phenomenon, talked about by many gamers around the world. It is especially popular among those who, like me, grew up with the books about the boy wizard, as well as among the younger generation. With such a huge fan base, the game has become a target for cybercriminals looking to cash in on the popularity of the world-famous tale. Our advice as always is to be alert and only download games from official app stores and don’t forget to use a trusted security solution,” comments Olga Svistunova, a security expert at Kaspersky.

To avoid falling victim to malicious programs and scams, Kaspersky recommends:

• It’s safer to buy and download games only from official sites. Do not trust the offers to get a new expensive game as a gift - most often it is a scam.
• Wherever possible, protect your accounts with two-factor authentication. For others, comb through account settings.
• Use strong passwords - and a unique one for every account. That way, even if one of your accounts gets stolen, the rest won’t go with it. It’s safer not to use the same password for online games that you use for other services.
• A strong, reliable security solution will be a great help to you, especially if it won’t slow down your computer while you’re playing. But at the same time, it will protect you from all possible cyberthreats. We recommend Kaspersky Premium.  It works smoothly with Steam and other gaming services.

February 09, 2023