Hackers are using Steam Workshop and Wallpaper Engine to spread malware and steal accounts

Cybersecurity company Kaspersky has revealed that hackers are using wallpaper packages, downloadable from the Steam Marketplace and designed for the Wallpaper Engine app, to spread malware to users, enabling them to steal Steam accounts.

The company says that Steam users in China and Russia were the primary target for this malware, but it found victims in other countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, and Canada. According to the report, Kaspersky researchers found dozens of compromised wallpaper packages on the Steam Workshop, and believe that some of these have been downloaded tens of thousands of times.

Wallpaper Engine is a popular Steam application that allows users to add animated or interactive desktop backgrounds to their PC. These wallpapers are often executable Windows applications that run code on a user’s system. Unfortunately, this leaves them vulnerable and creates a security risk for users – one which attackers have been taking advantage of.

Kaspersky says that hackers are bundling malware into these wallpaper packages, which are then able to run on the computer. Users go to the Steam Workshop looking for options to personalize their PC, and then download the packages. Those who install them think they’re getting the desktop background that they want, while in the background, the malware starts running. It’s important to note that neither Wallpaper Engine nor Steam is creating these packages, but attackers are using the applications and the community workshop. It’s also worth remembering that this only applies to interactive and animated wallpapers.

Attackers are also hiding the malware inside password-protected archives inside these wallpaper packages, which then execute automatically when installed. The company says that the attacks are mainly being used to steal victims’ Steam accounts, but have also been seen installing other information-stealing programs as well.

For now, Kaspersky is warning PC gamers that “trusted platforms can be abused to distribute malware,” and that everyone should exercise caution when downloading any applications, even if you believe the source is legitimate. PCGamesN has reached out to both Wallpaper Engine and Valve for comment, and will update this article with any response.

This isn’t the first malware scheme that has hit gaming recently, as Minecraft was also targeted by hackers. Over 100,000 people were infected by malicious software included in fake clients and mods, which allowed attackers to manage and delete files, hijack webcams, and take remote access over PCs.