Are you a crypto investor and also a gamer

[KiaKia]

There are countless warning via this forum about malware and viruses that can infect crypto investors computers, we are been warned to avoid downloading of games and softwares using Torrent websites which have been proven to be one of the fastest way to get your PC compromised but what I am about to share now is somewhat different.

Some of you must have already heard or read about it but I am forced to bring this on the forum today because it seems the attack is growing, Our favourite Valve's Steam platform for PC gamers is now a breeding ground for crypto hijacking viruses.

Someone very close to me bought a game called slime rancher on steam and lucky for him he isn't new to computer, while the installation was ongoing he noticed that a small window was running on the background, installing something else, after a while the PC start acting abnormally, the mouse pad start to freeze, becoming less responsive. 

Even the antivirus got nothing after several scans, he had to wipe the whole computer and reinstall windows 11 again, he got lucky because he noticed as someone who is very familiar with such attacks, Steam is not safe anymore.

There was some reports about stolen crypto assets and the attack so far have robbed people of $150,000, here is a link but it is not over, I thought they fixed the problem but I was wrong.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/another-steam-game-infects-players-pcs-with-malware-steals-150k-in-crypto

[Dave1]

I think we already have a lot of reports that cyber criminal is taking advantage of torrents or whatever free software we found on the web. And as crypto enthusiast, we should be educated that it's a no-no for us just download anything specially games as I have said, they can disguised everything behind and it's going to be too late when all your crypto has been stolen.

There are advise that we should separate our crypto hardware, i.e laptop and PC and others from our daily used so that in case that you might have downloaded something, there will be no damage. But still, self-awareness is the best weapon against the trap that this criminals are laying down for crypto individuals.

[rdluffy]

In the past, I used torrents, downloaded lots of new programs, tested everything I liked, and had a lot of stuff installed on my PC
After I started using cryptos, I became paranoid 
Nowadays, I have a separate PC just for my crypto-related stuff, and another one for games, and on that gaming PC, I only use original games, obviously, and official applications. I don't install anything dubious or any cracked applications

Using a hot wallet on a PC with cracked Windows or applications downloaded from unofficial sources is too risky

But the complicated thing is that Steam is supposed to be secure, and all games are verified before being allowed on the platform
I think this is the second game I've seen causing virus problems

[avp2306]

In the past, I used torrents, downloaded lots of new programs, tested everything I liked, and had a lot of stuff installed on my PC
After I started using cryptos, I became paranoid 
Nowadays, I have a separate PC just for my crypto-related stuff, and another one for games, and on that gaming PC, I only use original games, obviously, and official applications. I don't install anything dubious or any cracked applications

Using a hot wallet on a PC with cracked Windows or applications downloaded from unofficial sources is too risky

But the complicated thing is that Steam is supposed to be secure, and all games are verified before being allowed on the platform
I think this is the second game I've seen causing virus problems

I share same thoughts now since before I download a lot of crack games online and didn't care about security since I don't hide anything in my computer. But now when I'm in crypto I start by reformatting my PC to clean up those mess I made before and now settle with few reliable apps and browser to make sure that my important details is safe.

Its hard to trust now those crack or any unknown application from random sources since we don't know if those criminals put some malwares or anything that can potentially harm us.

We better be more vigilant or rather stay away with anything unknown to us for our safety.

[albon]

This is absolutely true.. Many games that can be downloaded on Steam are not safe. Scammers often post fake positive reviews about these games and set their prices extremely low to make them attractive for people to buy, download, and install. In the end, users are surprised to find that the game contains a trojan that compromises their systems.

Most of these games are fake, impersonating the names of other legitimate games. These scammers behind them are not the real developers, but have merely exploited the name of the game. Most of the malicious programs embedded in such games are also encrypted, making it difficult for antivirus software to detect them..  These malicious programs can steal wallets and sensitive data , as well as saved passwords and more. Therefore, it is best for game lovers not to use their official computers for such downloads. They should always check the developer’s reputation and the game details and carefully scan it before installing.

[zasad@]

A hardware wallet offers excellent protection against viruses. If you're a gamer or install third-party software on your PC, you shouldn't store coins in a software wallet, or understand the risks and store only the bare minimum in it.

[rdluffy]

A quick search reveals that there are quite a few cases of games that had malware or viruses on Steam:

--> https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/07/steam-games-abused-to-deliver-malware-once-again

--> https://www.pcmag.com/news/did-you-download-this-steam-game-sorry-its-windows-malware

You can never be too careful
It should be noted that a hard wallet in this case is a good measure to prevent hacking, or even a well-managed cold wallet

[tech30338]

There are countless warning via this forum about malware and viruses that can infect crypto investors computers, we are been warned to avoid downloading of games and softwares using Torrent websites which have been proven to be one of the fastest way to get your PC compromised but what I am about to share now is somewhat different.

Some of you must have already heard or read about it but I am forced to bring this on the forum today because it seems the attack is growing, Our favourite Valve's Steam platform for PC gamers is now a breeding ground for crypto hijacking viruses.

Someone very close to me bought a game called slime rancher on steam and lucky for him he isn't new to computer, while the installation was ongoing he noticed that a small window was running on the background, installing something else, after a while the PC start acting abnormally, the mouse pad start to freeze, becoming less responsive. 

Even the antivirus got nothing after several scans, he had to wipe the whole computer and reinstall windows 11 again, he got lucky because he noticed as someone who is very familiar with such attacks, Steam is not safe anymore.

There was some reports about stolen crypto assets and the attack so far have robbed people of $150,000, here is a link but it is not over, I thought they fixed the problem but I was wrong.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/another-steam-game-infects-players-pcs-with-malware-steals-150k-in-crypto

separate crypto activities with other things or not do it at all in a computer where you do crypto stuff, if it needs to have another desktop or laptop just to make sure ill do it, even separate the network, if you have big funds on a computer, never play with fire, always be aware of the situation and what you are doing, because a simple mistake can wipe everything, and all your hard work will go to waste.

[tabas]

I've read about that recent hacking that happened to that cancer streamer that he has lost his $150k from a game on steam. It's totally devastating when his funds for his treatment got. Many from pump.fun has helped him recoup that money for his need. But then, that game that contained a malware which has been listed on steam got his funds. Steam needs to be more careful in filtering the games that they're listing on their own platform. There will be no competition for him but, I think that with the help of other streamers, he's able to regain at least $80k+.

[Fiatless]

separate crypto activities with other things or not do it at all in a computer where you do crypto stuff, if it needs to have another desktop or laptop just to make sure ill do it, even separate the network, if you have big funds on a computer, never play with fire, always be aware of the situation and what you are doing, because a simple mistake can wipe everything, and all your hard work will go to waste.

The attacks these days from scammers come from different platforms in diverse forms. We also need to be a step ahead of these criminals to protect our hard-earned money. Everyone should have a cold and a hot wallet. Don't keep large amounts on a device that is connected to the Internet. Don't also rely on reviews to verify the authenticity of a program or apps, do more research because these reviews can be manipulated.

[BIT-BENDER]

I won't say you should give up your gaming desires because your are into Bitcoin or crypto-currency but you can manage things to see that you aren't exposing yourself to any possible attacks.
First you should probably not have them on same device, the device you use for your gaming experience should be different from the device you use for anything relating to Crypto-currency.
You can definitely check out cold storage wallet to keep your wallet protected offline.

[DYING_S0UL]

In the past, I used torrents, downloaded lots of new programs, tested everything I liked, and had a lot of stuff installed on my PC
After I started using cryptos, I became paranoid 
Nowadays, I have a separate PC just for my crypto-related stuff, and another one for games, and on that gaming PC, I only use original games, obviously, and official applications. I don't install anything dubious or any cracked applications

Using a hot wallet on a PC with cracked Windows or applications downloaded from unofficial sources is too risky

But the complicated thing is that Steam is supposed to be secure, and all games are verified before being allowed on the platform
I think this is the second game I've seen causing virus problems

Separating our workspaces is certainly a good practice. Being a victim myself (ransomware malware) taught me this lesson. In fact, I have been doing this for a while now. I have multiple devices, my potato laptop, my desktop pc, and my mobile phone. And all of them are used for different things, not mixing any at all costs!

I mean who keeps hot wallet and cracked soft in the same device..! I wouldn't! It's like carrying a timebombb.

Lastly regarding Stream, that is of real concerning. Normally people tend to suspect if it's from an unknown/unofficial sources. But we are talking about a reputable game distribution platform here! By default I wouldn't suspect a thing! But recent news shows ( 1, 2 ), this is not the first time, platforms like stream were exploited... and these are becoming more frequent.

[Publictalk792]

The attacks these days from scammers come from different platforms in diverse forms. We also need to be a step ahead of these criminals to protect our hard-earned money. Everyone should have a cold and a hot wallet. Don't keep large amounts on a device that is connected to the Internet. Don't also rely on reviews to verify the authenticity of a program or apps, do more research because these reviews can be manipulated.

You are right scammers are getting smarter so it is important to protect your money. Geat way to do this is by using both cold wallet for big savings and hot wallet for small for daily spending.
Also you can not trust online reviews alone because they can be fake. You need to do your own research from different sources to make sure program or app is real. This kind of careful thinking is best way to avoid from scammers.

[KiaKia]

I think we already have a lot of reports that cyber criminal is taking advantage of torrents or whatever free software we found on the web. And as crypto enthusiast, we should be educated that it's a no-no for us just download anything specially games as I have said, they can disguised everything behind and it's going to be too late when all your crypto has been stolen.

There are advise that we should separate our crypto hardware, i.e laptop and PC and others from our daily used so that in case that you might have downloaded something, there will be no damage. But still, self-awareness is the best weapon against the trap that this criminals are laying down for crypto individuals.

Torrent download and free software download has nothing to do with this, the catch here is that games from regulated platforms, I mean the type you need to purchase with your hard earned money is now not safe anymore.

Who would spend months creating games and spending money on developers to deliver fun games for the audience and still end up packing the whole thing up with data stealing malware? Tell me another form of desperation without telling me.

Having a separate device for everything is better, PC is build to serve almost every needs online, gaming, browsing, coding, video and music production etc, this makes it a not safe haven for money or crypto assets.

[ABCbits]

Lastly regarding Stream, that is of real concerning. Normally people tend to suspect if it's from an unknown/unofficial sources. But we are talking about a reputable game distribution platform here! By default I wouldn't suspect a thing! But recent news shows ( 1, 2 ), this is not the first time, platforms like stream were exploited... and these are becoming more frequent.

I think people forget Steam isn't really different from other place where you can download app/game such as Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Even if they put serious effort to prevent malicious app/game, there's no way they can detect all malicious ones. It doesn't help either when some game these days use invasive anti-cheat technology that have access to OS kernel.

[Taskford]

Lastly regarding Stream, that is of real concerning. Normally people tend to suspect if it's from an unknown/unofficial sources. But we are talking about a reputable game distribution platform here! By default I wouldn't suspect a thing! But recent news shows ( 1, 2 ), this is not the first time, platforms like stream were exploited... and these are becoming more frequent.

I think people forget Steam isn't really different from other place where you can download app/game such as Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Even if they put serious effort to prevent malicious app/game, there's no way they can detect all malicious ones. It doesn't help either when some game these days use invasive anti-cheat technology that have access to OS kernel.

This situation is good example that there's issue regarding on those cases mentioned by OP happened on steam https://gaming.news/news/2025-09-22/steam-game-with-malware-steals-about-150k-from-hundreds-of-players/

And this is dangerous since there's lots of people really think about that Steam is big platform which they can rely on, but unfortunately that cases is happening and lots of people got affected on those malwares attached by some games there. That's why people need to exert more effort to research and verify what they are trying to download to avoid getting any serious issues.

[rdluffy]

...

Separating our workspaces is certainly a good practice. Being a victim myself (ransomware malware) taught me this lesson. In fact, I have been doing this for a while now. I have multiple devices, my potato laptop, my desktop pc, and my mobile phone. And all of them are used for different things, not mixing any at all costs!

I mean who keeps hot wallet and cracked soft in the same device..! I wouldn't! It's like carrying a timebombb.

Lastly regarding Stream, that is of real concerning. Normally people tend to suspect if it's from an unknown/unofficial sources. But we are talking about a reputable game distribution platform here! By default I wouldn't suspect a thing! But recent news shows ( 1, 2 ), this is not the first time, platforms like stream were exploited... and these are becoming more frequent.

Have you lost your data to ransomware?
Or had an account hacked?

Whether or not have cryptos, I always warn my friends about cracked software, cracked Windows (which is very common), or dubious applications
Having your e-mail hacked or any other PC data stolen can be just as damaging as losing money in crypto
I myself didn't use antivirus software for many years, but recently I've started using it for an extra layer of security, in addition to all the practices I consider safe

The downside of all this is having to deal with multiple devices, but it's better than losing something

[DYING_S0UL]

Lastly regarding Stream, that is of real concerning. Normally people tend to suspect if it's from an unknown/unofficial sources. But we are talking about a reputable game distribution platform here! By default I wouldn't suspect a thing! But recent news shows ( 1, 2 ), this is not the first time, platforms like stream were exploited... and these are becoming more frequent.

I think people forget Steam isn't really different from other place where you can download app/game such as Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Even if they put serious effort to prevent malicious app/game, there's no way they can detect all malicious ones. It doesn't help either when some game these days use invasive anti-cheat technology that have access to OS kernel.

This situation is good example that there's issue regarding on those cases mentioned by OP happened on steam https://gaming.news/news/2025-09-22/steam-game-with-malware-steals-about-150k-from-hundreds-of-players/

And this is dangerous since there's lots of people really think about that Steam is big platform which they can rely on, but unfortunately that cases is happening and lots of people got affected on those malwares attached by some games there. That's why people need to exert more effort to research and verify what they are trying to download to avoid getting any serious issues.

Then I don't see any difference between official or unofficial / trusted source or unknown source. It's only natural to think, there will be no security threats coming from these platforms! As technology evolves, hackers exploits different methods to channel their attacks, in the most sophisticated ways. So I guess, things like these will keep happening.

Have you lost your data to ransomware?
Or had an account hacked?

Whether or not have cryptos, I always warn my friends about cracked software, cracked Windows (which is very common), or dubious applications
Having your e-mail hacked or any other PC data stolen can be just as damaging as losing money in crypto
I myself didn't use antivirus software for many years, but recently I've started using it for an extra layer of security, in addition to all the practices I consider safe

The downside of all this is having to deal with multiple devices, but it's better than losing something

Yes I did lose data, my whole drive, I had to format it completely! But luckily there wasn't any monetary loses nor any Crypto was kept there no had any personal data that can be turned against me!
It was tough but I'm grateful I only lost time sorting everything nothing else. It taught me the importance of using multiple devices. So that even if I'm infected, I don't lose everything at one go.

Personally I don't use any antivirus. IMO, windows defender is enough, it detects most of the things. And I haven't had any problems since then. If one is careful enough with the things he does, or downloads, or executes of the net, he should be safe.

[coupable]

There are countless warning via this forum about malware and viruses that can infect crypto investors computers, we are been warned to avoid downloading of games and softwares using Torrent websites which have been proven to be one of the fastest way to get your PC compromised but what I am about to share now is somewhat different.

This should be applied to all kind of unsecure navigation through private servers. Torrent files are popular used by gamers, but also by fans of watching movies and television series. Even those torrents with good rating according to some review torrents applications can contain malwares especially deficated for crypto users.
Personally, i love cinema and always look for free versions available most of the times in form of torrent files. To protect my wallets and secret codes, i use a seperate pc to download and watch movies. This pc is only dedicated for this mission without any private application installed even not an antivirus.

[Alone055]

Your safety is only in your hands, and it depends on how far you can go to secure yourself from these things. This is why, a person who plays games and installs a lot of stuff on their PC shouldn't be using the same PC for storing their Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies because they should have the basic understanding of how the things they do can affect the security of their funds and that their device can get compromised, might even get corrupt because such things happen in PCs where you install a bunch of stuff.

Either use a different PC, or use a mobile where you don't do extra things, and even better if you can keep the internet off of your mobile and only open it when you are making a transaction or something. It's difficult, but it's doable, and those who have large amounts should simply buy and use hardware wallets because that is safer, and they won't need to have multiple devices this way.