Cybercriminals Turn GTA VI Leaks Into Malware Bait
Attackers spread fake 113GB GTA VI builds whose 50KB payload whitelists the entire C: drive in Windows Defender, alongside credential phishing and infostealer campaigns.
Researchers found that a 113GB file claiming to be a playable Grand Theft Auto VI build is 99.99% empty data hiding a tiny malicious payload that excludes the entire C:\ drive from Windows Defender and kills security software, preparing systems for follow-on attacks. Related lures include fake GTA 6 Windows installers using DLL side-loading, a fake 'GTA 6 Mobile' app redirecting to infostealer and ransomware infrastructure, and counterfeit Rockstar Social Club login pages harvesting credentials. The fakes ride genuine leak momentum from the leaker CyberLeek, and Kaspersky separately documented over 19 million attempted downloads of game-themed malware in a year, with GTA, Minecraft, and Call of Duty the most abused brands. No legitimate playable GTA VI build is circulating; the game launches November 19 on consoles.
- Fake 113GB GTA VI build is 99.99% empty data hiding a roughly 50KB malicious payload
- Payload adds C:\ to Windows Defender exclusions and kills security software to enable follow-on attacks
- Related lures include DLL side-loading installers, a fake GTA 6 Mobile app, and fake Rockstar Social Club login pages
- Kaspersky logged 19M+ attempted downloads of game-themed malware in a year, with GTA the most abused brand
- No legitimate playable GTA VI build exists; launch is November 19 on consoles
- ATT&CK
- T1204.002 Malicious FileT1562.001 Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify ToolsT1574.002 DLL Side-LoadingT1566.002 Spearphishing Link
- Tags
- credential-phishingdll-side-loadinggaminggta-viinfostealermalwaresocial-engineeringwindows-defender
- Threat actors
- CyberLeek
From the original article
3 min read at securityaffairs.com
A fake 113GB GTA VI build is packed with malware, using massive empty files to hide a tiny malicious payload. GTA VI hype has reached the point where people are volunteering to infect their own computers just to check if a leak is real. Someone on X asked their followers to “take one for the team” and test a 113GB file claiming to be a playable Grand Theft Auto VI build, according to Tom’s Hardware’s reporting .
By @securityaffairs · securityaffairs.com
A short excerpt; the article and its images belong to the publisher. Summary, key facts and assessment above are AI-written from the article and can be wrong.