back to article Facebook scammers punt fake 'sexy vid' of Emma Watson

Scammers are taking advantage of Emma Watson’s growing popularity by using the Harry Potter star as bait to spread malware on Facebook. The supposed “sexy videos” of the British actress – who has recently stood up against sexism in her new role as Goodwill Ambassador for Women – drop Trojans rather than the promised salacious …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Megaphone

    Nothing new here...

    I mean, to my knowledge this trick is used all the time and it will continue to be used as long as users don't bother to think their actions over before taking them.

    People (should) know that searching for "explicit contents" can end you up on malicious websites which are only after your money. It has been like this forever. So; a juicy chunk of media (picture, movie, etc.) requires you to update your image viewer of movie player? Then why not go to the official website of whatever it is you're using to check for yourself?

    Better yet: why not start by opening your picture or movie viewer first and then load your juicy contents instead of mindlessly clicking on whatever it is you downloaded?

    Its for this specific reason why I think that Windows made a huge mistake when they started to hide the extensions for known file types. It has become way too easy to spread an executable file while making its icon look as if its simply trying to start a popular image of movie viewer.

    Obvious for most of us, usually not so much for your average user:

    But you don't even have Photoshop, so why would you think this file would start your image viewer?

    I thought that it shipped with one, didn't know it could be a virus...

    Stupid? For sure. But just because we understand what is happening here, a lot of users don't.

    1. Yugguy

      Re: Nothing new here...

      Yeah, I've never understood the rationale or logic behind the default hiding of extensions.

      1. Cameron Colley

        Re: Nothing new here...

        While I too do not like how Windows hides file extensions I don't think that the fix is to just show extensions. The fix I would employ would be to prevent files from being executable by default -- there is no reason why a downloaded file should be given permission to execute. I might add that Linux isn't beyond criticism here as in default configuration a lot of desktop systems will allow the user to download and execute a file just by double-clicking which, to my mind, is unacceptable.

        1. TechicallyConfused
          Facepalm

          Re: Nothing new here...

          I don't know about your system but when I download an executable I get asked about 4 different ways if I'm sure I want to run it by either windows explorer or Chrome depending on what I use. In fact IE is more adamant that I am sure I want to run said executable.

          The problem here though isn't the silicon. It's the bioware running it. As long as people remain stupid they will find a way to run this stuff.

  2. Craigness

    That talk

    She didn't stand up against sexism, she asked men to get involved in women's fight for "equality". She didn't mention men's equality, ergo she is not anti-sexism. And because women cannot be equal without men also being equal, she is not for equality either.

    1. Mike 125

      Re: That talk

      @Craigness

      Wow.

      Let it all out, dude. Squeeze all that bile and pus right out. It's good to talk.

    2. Allan George Dyer

      Re: That talk

      Achieving women's equality with men means changing women's treatment and status until it is the same level as men's treatment and status. And vice-versa for men's equality with women. So, the difference is between achieving equality by raising standards to the highest, or by lowering standards to the lowest. I know which I prefer.

    3. Rogue Jedi

      Re: That talk

      "She didn't stand up against sexism, she asked men to get involved in women's fight for "equality". She didn't mention men's equality, ergo she is not anti-sexism."

      did you even listen to that talk, because I did and I clearly remember her going into into detail on inequality for men as well as women.

      posting opinions is fine but please do not state something untrue as fact

  3. Rhiakath Flanders
    Paris Hilton

    So...

    Does that mean no pics? ;)

    1. Anonymaus Cowark

      Re: So...

      maybe we could get a playmobil recreation instead ??

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    News that matters

    Emma who?

    Harry Potter who?

  5. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Windows

    LEAVE MY EMMA ALONE!

    What's wrong with people?

  6. tony2heads

    YouTubers

    sort of potato men?

  7. Anonymous Coward 101

    Ancient News

    "Scammers are taking advantage of Emma Watson’s growing popularity by using the Harry Potter star as bait to spread malware on Facebook."

  8. chivo243 Silver badge
    Headmaster

    I read it again

    Is it me or is the title of the article on oxymoron? sexy? more like a sister IMHO, but then again I fell asleep at the theater during two different Harry Potter movies.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I read it again

      I kinda know what you mean.

      Whenever I see comments like that my mind is automatically drawn back to the first scenes of "you have dirt on your nose, did you know?" and it all feels rather uncomfortable :(

  9. Fungus Bob
    Joke

    Hey, Trojans prevent pregnancies....

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