Free Games on Steam: Hackers' New Dangerous Trap

Valve has just issued an urgent warning to users about a free game on the Steam platform containing malicious code, capable of stealing passwords and personal information.

The game 'PirateFi' was released for free on Steam on February 6, but was taken down just days later after Valve discovered it contained malware. However, in its short time on the market, the game may have infected hundreds of users.

The game PirateFi contains malware and has been removed from Steam.

According to PCMag, the malware found in "PirateFi" is capable of stealing passwords, browser cookies, and other personal information. Some users even reported that their Microsoft accounts were compromised and that hackers blocked them from accessing Microsoft support emails.

Notably, the hackers not only distributed the malicious game via Steam, but also used Telegram to promote it. They created a fake chatbot, promised to pay $17/hour for chat moderation work, and introduced "PirateFi" as a web3 game with over 7,000 players.

Valve has sent out a warning to affected users, advising them to run a virus scan and reinstall their operating system. If reinstalling the operating system is not possible, users should clear their browser history and change all passwords.

This incident is a warning to users about the potential risks of free-to-play games on Steam, especially from new developers. Always be vigilant and double-check information before downloading any game.

Samuel Daniel

Update 05 March 2025