Experts warn that GTA and Minecraft are being used to lure in victims of cyber attacks – here is how safe to stay
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- Experts warn that there are millions of malware variants with game themes
- Hackers lure gamers with the promise of chargers, cracks, exclusive content and more
- GTA, Minecraft and COD are among the most abused titles
Grand Theft Auto V (GTA), Minecraft” Call of Duty (Cod) and other popular games are abused on the left and right to distribute malware Experts have warned under the gaming community.
A report From CyberSecurity -researchers from Kaspersky claimed that between April 1, 2024 and 31 March 2025, there were more than 19 million attempts to download malignant files that spove popular gaming titles.
In general, it is of the opinion that around 400,000 people worldwide have been affected, many of them younger gamers.
Gta, minecraft, cod, sims all touched
Kaspersky says that the threat actors go for older games with large, thriving communities.
GTA V was published more than ten years ago, but thanks to the open-world modding options it is still extremely popular. In fact, so far it has sold more than 215 million copies, making it one of the best -selling video games of all time.
The researchers discovered nearly 4.5 million attack attempts with regard to files disguised as GTA-related content.
The fact that GTA 6 is around the corner (it is expected to be expected in 2026) only worsens the problem, because the hype will certainly be misused prior to the release to distribute early access offers and Bèta invitations.
Minecraft, another hugely popular title, became second, with 4.1 million attack attempts. Just like GTA, the attacks were mainly powered by the enormous modding ecosystem of the game and the permanent popularity. COD was in third place with 2.6 million attacks, followed by the Sims with 2.4 million.
Hackers usually hunt victims on forums, social media groups and instant messaging chats and channels.
They advertise cracks, chargers, different mods and add-ons, which often turn out to be info stealers, cryptocurrency hijackers, back doors and Trojan horses. Kaspersky has urged gamers to remember from downloading illegal content and being skeptical about giveaway actions, promises of rare skins or different bonuses.
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