Weaponized Games: Threat Actors Target Gen Z Gamers Through Popular Titles

Weaponized Games: Threat Actors Target Gen Z Gamers Through Popular Titles Kaspersky security researchers have discovered sophisticated threat actor activities that take advantage of the digitally native Gen Z population, which was born between 1997 and 2012 and is heavily involved in gaming, streaming, and anime, for malevolent purposes. Over a one-year period from April 1, 2024,Kaspersky documentedat least 19 million attempts to disseminate malware camouflaged as popular games, with Grand Theft Auto (GTA), Minecraft, and Call of Duty topping the list at 11.2 million incidents. These titles’ high replayability, coupled with expansive online ecosystems fostering user-generated content, mods, and cheat distribution, renders them prime vectors for cyberattacks. Phishing Campaigns Exploit Replayable Titles Threat actors exploit this by deployingphishing schemesthat impersonate legitimate entities, enticing users with promises of in-game rewards, exclusive trades, or monetary gains to harv...