Data theft malware targets Fortnite players

It's no surprise that the release of a new season of Fortnite has led to a rise in scammers keen to exploit gamers who are eager to sample the new software.

Among a rash of supposed free passes and free Android versions of the game that hide surveys and other nuisances, researchers at Malwarebytes have uncovered a malicious program seeking to steal data and Bitcoins.

The malware was offered by a YouTube account under the guise of a cheat and had received more than 2,000 views a day after uploading. Clicking the link takes you to a survey page which must be completed before you can access the download portal, all of which gives the malware a veneer of legitimacy.

Once installed it sends data to an /index.php file hosted in the Russian Federation. Information it takes an interest in includes browser session details, cookies, Bitcoin wallets, and also Steam sessions.

"While this particular file probably isn't that new, it's still going to do a fair bit of damage to anyone that runs it," says Malwarebytes researcher, Chris Boyd, writing on the company's blog. "Combining it with the current fever for new Fortnite content is a recipe for stolen data and a lot of cleanup required afterward."

You can read more about the attack on the Malwarebytes blog.

Image credit: Rokas Tenys / Shutterstock