The FBI has launched an official investigation into a cybercriminal suspected of distributing malicious software through several video games hosted on Steam. The federal agency confirmed the probe on Friday, actively seeking reports from users who may have been compromised by these titles.
Targeted Titles and Security Risks
Authorities have identified a specific cluster of games published over the past two years that serve as delivery vehicles for malware. The investigation centers on the following titles:
- BlockBlasters
- Chemia
- Dashverse/DashFPS
- Lampy
- Lunara
- PirateFi
- Tokenova
These games were designed to function as legitimate software while operating as a Trojan horse. Once installed, the underlying malicious code executes, potentially granting unauthorized access to the user’s system or harvesting sensitive data.
A Recurring Security Challenge for Valve
This incident marks a significant failure in platform security, though it is not an isolated event. Last year, similar malicious actors successfully bypassed store moderation to publish functional, albeit rudimentary, games on the Valve-owned marketplace. While Valve eventually removed those titles, the delay allowed an undisclosed number of users to suffer system infections.
Institutional Response
Despite the severity of the threat and the ongoing federal investigation, both Valve and the FBI have declined to provide specific comments regarding the current status of the platform’s security protocols or the progress of the criminal inquiry.