Hackers will try whatever they can to weasel their way into your devices, and a growing number of them are capitalizing on the popularity of games like Minecraft and The Sims to dupe you into downloading fake and malware-laden apps.
According to a report from Atlas VPN, 303,827 devices were affected by gaming-related malware and unwanted software between July 2020 and July 2021. "Minecraft was by far the most popular game on both PC and mobile platforms for dangerous app distributors to hide behind"—nearly 185,000 users were hit with over 3 million Minecraft-related malware detections, Atlas VPN says, citing data from Kaspersky Security Network.
We're not talking about legitimate copies of Minecraft. When purchased from reputable online stores and app stores, the Microsoft-owned game should work as expected. But shady developers can create apps or mods with the name Minecraft (or Sims 4, PUBG, or Fortnite) in the title in the hopes that gamers won't pay attention and will download their malicious apps.
"There are various versions of Minecraft and a plethora of mods (modifications that may be placed on top of the basic game to diversify gameplay) may account for its enormous popularity," Atlas VPN says. "Because mods are unofficial and developed by users, they can be used to hide dangerous payloads or undesirable software."
While Minecraft is a scammer favorite, The Sims 4 comes in second on PCs; 43,252 PC players were hit by 1,266,804 detected pieces of malware related to the game, Atlas VPN says. PUBG, Fortnite, and Grand Theft Auto V round out the top five for PC-based malware schemes.
On mobile, more than 44,000 players were hit by 302,611 instances of malware on their phones and tablets, Atlas VPN says. The top five mobile titles exploited by scammers are Minecraft, Among Us, PUBG, Free Fire, and Brawl Stars.
It's best to download apps from reputable app stores like Steam, Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore. "These marketplaces aren't completely safe," Atlas points out. Almost two dozen malicious Minecraft apps were found on Google Play last year, for example. But these apps are "at least examined by store staff, and there is some sort of screening procedure in place," Atlas says. If something seems off, don't download.
If you're going to download game mods, consider investing in a good antivirus software for PC or Android. If you do become infected, here's how to remove malware from your PC.