The game BlockBlasters was removed from Steam after built-in malware stole over $150,000 worth of cryptocurrency from 261 users, including a streamer raising money for cancer treatment.
G. Ostrov
The Steam platform has faced another serious cybersecurity incident. The game BlockBlasters, which was present in Valve's store for almost two months, turned out to be malware designed to steal users' cryptocurrency wallets.
Incident Details
BlockBlasters presented itself as a free 2D platformer game developed and published by Genesis Interactive. The game was available on Steam from July 30 to September 21, 2024. During this period, the malware stole cryptocurrency from 261 users totaling approximately $150,000.
Particularly tragic was the case involving a streamer collecting donations for cancer treatment. The gamer lost $32,000 intended for oncological treatment after downloading the BlockBlasters game.
How the Malware Operated
After installing the game, the malicious code scanned the user's computer searching for cryptocurrency wallet files. Upon finding such files, the program automatically transferred the discovered cryptocurrency to the attackers' wallets. The process occurred unnoticed by the user during gameplay.
Fake Reviews and Extended Store Presence
The game was on Steam for over 53 days and had over 200 fake reviews from bot accounts, including some negative reviews to create an appearance of legitimacy. This tactic allowed the game to remain undetected by Steam's security systems for an extended period.
Steam and Expert Response
A researcher from cybersecurity company G Data reported the suspicious game to Valve approximately a week before its removal. This raises questions about the platform's response speed to security threats.
Valve representatives did not respond to requests for comments regarding the incident. The game was eventually removed after SteamDB staff flagged the BlockBlasters application as suspicious.
Not the First Case in 2024
This is not the only case of malware distribution through Steam this year. In March, Sniper: Phantom's Resolution was removed after its demo redirected players to a malware-infected external file. A month earlier, PirateFi was delisted for shipping malware directly in its Steam build.
Security Recommendations
Security experts strongly recommend Steam users:
- Check game reviews and ratings before downloading
- Avoid games with suspiciously high numbers of positive reviews from new accounts
- Use hardware wallets for cryptocurrency storage
- Regularly scan systems with antivirus software
- Create backup copies of cryptocurrency wallets
Anyone who installed BlockBlasters should immediately check their cryptocurrency wallets and perform a complete system scan for malware.
You can find more information about Steam's security practices on the official Steam website.
If you encounter any issues, contact us - we'll help quickly and efficiently!