"I thought it was a Steam game"... Malicious code found planted on users' PCs

News has recently surfaced that 'Beyond the Dark,' an indie game distributed for free on the global PC gaming platform Steam, was being used to plant malware on users' computers.

Released on December 29, 2024, the game seemed suspicious from the start. While the screenshots and videos on its Steam store page depicted a typical first-person horror game, the description claimed it was a "turn-based strategy game inspired by chess." Combined with assets that appeared to be hastily generated by AI, the game gave the overall impression of a low-quality indie title.

The true nature of the game was exposed by overseas tech YouTuber Eric Parker. In a video posted to his channel on the 18th titled 'The Truth 'Free' Steam Games That Steal Your Data,' Parker pointed out that the game was an 'asset flip'—a title created by simply combining commercial assets—and that it served as bait to distribute malware to users' computers.

According to the exposé, the game evaded security detection by hiding malware within a DLL file that loads upon execution. The malware attempts to steal users' cryptocurrency wallet information and Roblox account credentials, and it includes a backdoor function to download and install additional malicious software. Parker urged users never to download the game and to avoid clicking any links related to it.

This is not the first time a free game on Steam has been used as a vector for malware distribution. In September 2025, a free platformer game called 'Blockbusters' was used to spread malware, resulting in the theft of approximately $150k in cryptocurrency. Consequently, security experts are emphasizing that users must exercise extreme caution when installing free games that appear crudely made using generative AI or commercial assets.

Meanwhile, following the backlash from the exposé, Valve, the operator of Steam, took action to remove the game, blocking downloads of 'Beyond the Dark' within a day.

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