Pirated Software is All Fun and Games Until Your Computer becomes infected with Malware

mood · Feb 2, 2020

Pirated Software is All Fun and Games Until Your Data’s Stolen
February 2, 2020
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...s-all-fun-and-games-until-your-data-s-stolen/

It may be tempting to try to download the latest games or applications for free, but doing so will ultimately land you in a hotbed of trouble as your computer becomes infected with adware, ransomware, and password-stealing Trojans.

In the past, though, most of the unwanted programs that were installed were adware or browser extensions, and though definitely a nuisance, for the most part, they were not stealing your files or installing ransomware on your computer.
This has changed as software installer monetization companies have started to increasingly team up with ransomware and password-stealing Trojan developers to distribute their malware.
Passwords stolen through software cracks
Security researcher Benkøw has recently noticed that monetized installers pretending to be software cracks and key generators are now commonly installing password-stealing Trojans or remote access Trojans (RATs) when they are executed.
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Distributed via torrent sites, YouTube, and fake crack sites
To distribute these adware bundles, attackers will upload them to torrent sites, create fake YouTube videos with links to alleged license key generators, or create sites designed to just promote adware bundles disguised as software cracks.

While it may be tempting to download pirated software so that you do not have to pay for it, the risks far outweigh the reward.
BleepingComputer gets emails, Twitter DMs, and Facebook messages every day from people who were infected by the STOP ransomware after pirating software.
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It is just not worth it.
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mood · Apr 17, 2020

Valorant beta scam infects your PC with malware
A supposed key generator for the upcoming Valorant game installs malware instead
April 16, 2020
https://www.tomsguide.com/news/valorant-beta-keygen-malware

Another hot new game means another predictable malware scam. The hot new game is Valorant, an upcoming multiplayer shooter from League of Legends developer Riot Games.

This malware scam promises beta keys to prospective players, but installs a keylogger instead. The scam is easy to avoid, and easy to address — but it’s also easy to fall for, particularly if you’re caught up in the Valorant hype.
This information comes from Albert Zsigovits, a threat researcher for U.K.-based security firm Sophos.

Fake #RiotGames #Valorant game-key generators being distributed.It’s actually a stealer, stub grabs a 2nd stage keylogger from pastebin. @malwrhunterteam @JayTHL @PlayVALORANT pic.twitter.com/nXKzRc8W7O April 15, 2020
If you try to use the fake Valorant keygen, it will download a keylogger from Pastebin directly to your computer, then channel anything you type — including your usernames and passwords — back to a cybercriminal somewhere.
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Unfortunately, getting rid of the keylogger will have to be done after the fact. According to VirusTotal, only Kaspersky software seems to recognize the keylogger download page on Pastebin as malicious at present.
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Pirated Software is All Fun and Games Until Your Computer becomes infected with Malware

mood Updates Team

mood Updates Team

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Log in or Sign up

Pirated Software is All Fun and Games Until Your Computer becomes infected with Malware

mood Updates Team

mood Updates Team

Hackers are targeting other hackers by infecting their tools with malware

Malware discovered on P.E.I. (Prince Edward Island) government computer network

LokiBot trojan malware campaign comes disguised as a popular game launcher

IoT Malware Campaign Infects Global Manufacturing Sites

Bitbucket Abused to Infect 500,000+ Hosts with Malware Cocktail

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