In a warning to users, it’s crucial to avoid downloading suspicious demos. This concern resurfaces as another Steam game purportedly posing as a typical FPS has been identified as a front for installing malware on users’ systems.

The game in question, titled Sniper: Phantom’s Resolution, featured a demo link that instead directed users to harmful content.

Reported by The Gamer: This is the second such game discovered this year, with both facing removal from the platform. The gameplay was claimed to involve navigating hostile environments, but the reality was a deceptive front for malicious activities.

An investigative effort led by Reddit users unveiled the true nature of this listing, which allowed the malware to bypass Steam security entirely by redirecting to a developer website offering an unauthorized demo. Community members, displaying caution, used virtual machines to study the malware discovered.

The malware, dubbed an information stealer, was noted for gaining administrator access, evading Windows encryption, and compromising user data without detection from common antivirus programs. Though now taken down, interested parties can view the defunct listing using the Way Back Machine.

It’s a reminder to remain vigilant and discerning about unknown game listings and their sources.