Malware-infected Super Mario game installer (left) – Malware files upon installation (right) – Screenshots credit: Cyble This is followed by fetching the “wime.exe” executable, an open-source Umbral Stealer. Once this is done, a connection to the C2 server is established to transmit data information, register the client, and obtain the required configuration to start cryptocurrency mining. SupremeBot has to fetch another executable, “wime.exe,” after establishing a connection to a C2 server.Īfter the malicious installer file “super-mario-forever-v702e” is installed on the system, it launches an XMR miner and a SupremeBot mining program through two files. Atom.exe- It is a self-duplicating SupremeBot mining client that creates a scheduled task for executing the copy every fifteen minutes.Java.exe- it may look like a regular Java runtime, but in reality, it is a Monero cryptocurrency miner tasked with establishing a connection to a mining server (gulfmonerooceanstream).One of these files installs the game, while the other two files, titled java.exe and atom.exe, are installed in the AppData directory on the device. In this case, the researchers wrote that the fake installer comes with three executable files.

Gamers trust these installers, considering them legitimate software, but social engineering can allow attackers to exploit this trust and trick gamers into downloading malware. Threat actors prefer to exploit game installers for delivering malware due to their extensive user base, powerful hardware, and large file size, which allows them to easily hide malware. Researchers have noted that game installers have emerged as a lucrative way to maximize monetary gains. The malware hidden inside the installer can perform various malicious tasks, such as stealing sensitive data, deploying cryptocurrency miners, and launching ransomware. Recently, Cyble researchers discovered a trojanized version of the Super Mario 3: Mario Forever installer. The malware has the potential to target large-scale victims since games like Super Mario 3 are famous among and adored by children around the world.

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