A Clever New Virus Idea Hides Itself in the Steam Storefront

Steam's rigorous security systems have ensured that gamers around the world are always protected, no matter the type of content that they're enjoying. While using Valve's launcher, players can be sure that they're playing safe files, a new clever trick has reared its face into the Steam storefront... but that doesn't mean you're in danger.

Spotted in the r/pcgaming subreddit, a new upcoming title by the name of Sniper Phantom Resolution found its way to the Steam storefront (meaning the team paid the $100 fee to register), and its demo was hosted inside the malware. Going by the name sierrasixstudios.dev, the supposed developer and publisher promised Sniper: Phantom's Resolution would release in Q2 2025.

The nefarious files weren't within Steam's own launcher system — those would have been caught by the security systems. Instead, it's part of the about the game field, where teams can link their official sources (like social media and websites), leading back to the "website" of the team.

It was on this site (now down at the time of writing) where players could find access to the Steam link (making it seem legit) and the seemingly harmless download button that gave you access to the demo itself. Within the files lay the malware.

The top comment in this thread shared information about the virus, which is mostly unnoticed by ViralTotal, which according to the user, seems like something "new and clever" that might be difficult to detect; the malware was an info stealer that interacts with browser cookies and swipes your passwords.

This news post isn't to fearmonger — Valve and their launcher, Steam, are not at fault for this — but instead to help users understand the risks of going outside of the storefront. The "Visit the website" button is intercepted by a Steam notice letting you know that you are leaving outside of an official Steam site, and it is within this section that the virus lies.

Whenever engaging with anything on Steam, it's always best to ensure that you only download things from the official sites. As a word of advice moving forward: with events like Steam Next Fest, demos, and all the good stuff that Valve offers, bad actors will always try to find ways to benefit from that. Sticking to the official section should suffice to protect your device from unwanted programs.