Although the Nintendo Switch 2 has yet to be announced, Nintendo announced a new Mario game during its latest Nintendo Direct However, "Super Mario Bro Wonder," due out in October, PC gamers could accidentally infect their computers with malware by downloading this fan-made Mario game

As reported by BleepingComputer, a Trojanized installer for the popular "Super Mario 3: Mario Forever" game for Windows is currently circulating online, and installing it on a PC could result in multiple malware infections

For those who don't know, "Super Mario 3: Mario Forever" is a fan-made remake of Nintendo's classic game released in 2003 Since then, it has been updated numerous times and has been downloaded by millions

Unfortunately, however, hackers are now distributing a modified installer for "Super Mario 3: Mario Forever," which may cause your PC to run poorly and risk data theft

In a new report, researchers at cybersecurity firm Cyble revealed that they have discovered a modified version of the Super Mario 3: Mario Forever installer that has been trojanized by hackers

Once downloaded and unzipped on the user's PC, the archive itself contains three executables, one of which installs the actual game, and two others: "javaexe" and "atomexe" The first is the "javaexe" and the second is the "atomexe" These other executables are installed in the user's AppData directory without the user's knowledge

Once installed, the first executable uses the resources of the infected PC to mine Monero, while the other executable, called "SupremeBot," is sent to a command and control (C&C) server controlled by the hackers behind this campaign The other executable, called "SupremeBot," is used to download an additional payload called "winmeexe" from a command-and-control (C&C) server controlled by the hackers behind this campaign

This additional payload is even more dangerous because it contains Umbral Stealer, an information-stealing malware that can steal cookies containing passwords and session tokens from your browser But it can also steal money from cryptocurrency wallets and authentication tokens for Discord, Minecraft, Roblox, and Telegram

Worse, Umbral Stealer can even take screenshots of your Windows desktop or use your webcam to spy on you while evading detection by Windows Defender At the same time, it interferes with the best antivirus software's ability to communicate with corporate sites, making its protection less effective

When it comes to playing classic Mario games, the best way to play them is on the Nintendo Switch with a Nintendo Switch Online membership We would like to see Japanese game companies offer their titles on PC, as Sony has done with its PlayStation games, but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon

Those who have recently downloaded "Super Mario 3: Mario Forever" should run a full malware scan of their computer and delete anything their antivirus software finds Those who have downloaded this popular game in the past should be safe, but it is always a good idea to run a quick scan

However, if you installed Super Mario 3: Mario Forever to pass the time until Super Mario Bros Wonder is released and have been infected with malware, you will need to reset all your passwords The hackers behind this campaign could use data stolen from infected PCs to commit fraud or, even worse, steal your identity

Gamers have long been a popular target for hackers, but in recent months, hackers and other cybercriminals seem to be increasingly targeting them Therefore, avoid downloading games from unofficial sources and stick to well-known PC gaming platforms such as Steam and the Epic Games Store