Hackers Are Using Steam Games to Spread Malware—and It's Working
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Steam is the biggest online gaming platform of all time. This is not just due to its extensive selection of games, but also due to its favorable reputation among gamers. Many praise the store's generous refund policy and reliable customer support. However, in recent months, the gaming giant has repeatedly found itself at the center of various controversies. Recently, the takedown of thousands of games sparked discussions about censorship in the gaming industry.
Malware-Infested Games on Steam
Now, a more imminent threat has resurfaced. According to Prodaft, a threat intelligence company, a seemingly innocent game on Steam has been infested with dangerous malware. The game in question, Chemia, was infested with not just one, but two instances of malware.
According to the source, the game was first compromised on July 22, when the malware was added to the legitimate game files. The first piece of malware, a HijackLoader, is particularly dangerous because it persistently remains on the victim's computer and downloads Vidar infostealer. The second instance is another info-stealer. This poses a significant risk to your personal data, including passwords, banking information, and other sensitive details.
In the past, Valve, the company behind Steam, has recommended that affected users reinstall Windows. What makes this incident scary is that when downloaded, the game, Chemia, runs as intended. As such, gamers won't notice a drop in performance or other warning signs that could tip them off to the malware running in the background.
Are Steam Games Safe?
This most recent incident follows an ever-growing list of malware-infested games on Steam. However, previous games were uploaded with the sole purpose of distributing malware. This time around, the original game is a legitimate project, which was hijacked by hackers.
It is likely that the publisher's account was compromised, allowing hackers to modify the game files. And since the game was still in development, it became an easy target. It appears that Steam is more lenient when it comes to reviewing the files of early access games for potential dangers. As such, it is no wonder that these types of games are at the center of this malware crisis.
For now, gamers should exercise caution when downloading early access games from small, unknown developers. Until Steam updates its review guidelines, there is a real danger of infected games hiding among thousands of legitimate projects. And if this incident has shown anything, it's that even legitimate games by well-meaning developers can be targeted by malware distributors.
Are you concerned about the increasing number of infected games on Steam? What do you think Valve should do to fight back against malware and hackers? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: BleepingComputer
