A threat actor identified as EncryptHub, also tracked as Larva-208, has compromised an early-access survival game on Steam called “Chemia.” The initial attack occurred on July 22, when the hacker injected malicious binaries into the game files. This method exploits the trust users place in the Steam platform, as the compromised game appears legitimate, tricking players into downloading malware when they opt into the game’s playtest and infecting thousand of users.
The attack involved a multi-stage infection process using two different info-stealers. First, EncryptHub added the HijackLoader malware, which establishes persistence on the victim’s computer and downloads the Vidar infostealer. Just hours later, the actor introduced Fickle Stealer through a DLL file, which uses PowerShell to fetch its main payload and begin harvesting data stored in web browsers, such as login credentials, cookies, and cryptocurrency wallet details.
EncryptHub is a known entity in the cybersecurity landscape with a peculiar history. The group was previously responsible for a massive spear-phishing campaign using the same malware and is linked to both the malicious exploitation of Windows zero-day vulnerabilities and the responsible disclosure of other critical flaws. According to security researchers, the malware runs silently in the background without affecting game performance, leaving infected users completely unaware of the compromise.
At present, it is unclear how the threat actor managed to inject the malicious files into the game project on Steam, with one possibility being the involvement of an insider. Both the game’s developer, Aether Forge Studios, and the platform owner, Valve, have yet to issue official statements regarding the security breach. The game currently remains available for download on Steam, and its safety status is unconfirmed, prompting recommendations to avoid the title until more information is available.
This incident marks the third time a game has been used to distribute malware on Steam this year, following similar cases with ‘Sniper: Phantom’s Resolution’ in March and ‘PirateFi’ in February. A common thread among these events is that all compromised titles were offered as early-access games rather than stable, full releases. This pattern may suggest that “work-in-progress” titles undergo less rigorous security reviews, highlighting the need for users to exercise caution when downloading and installing early-access games.
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