TIFU by downloading malware onto my laptop when I tried to get a game

Submitted by FrontAd8693 t3_y9f1d4 in tifu

I’d heard of a website where you can get “free” games and decided to try it out. So I clicked on the download link and then clicked accept on all the subsequent pop ups asking me to download other things. Next thing I know I have a whole bunch of new sketchy applications and no game. Then to make matters worse a pop up came up with no way to remove it. New browsers were opening, a very sketchy weather app appeared along with a bunch of other weird applications like false anti-virus software and whatnot; it was terrifying. There was rogueware, Trojan horses, all that kinda stuff. I freaked out but luckily a tech friend of mine helped me to remove everything by going to settings, downloading applications to scan etc… Definitely won’t be doing that again (P.S don’t use IGG games if you don’t know technology, trust me)

TL;DR: I tried to download a game and ended up messing up my laptop

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axewhyzedd t1_it5tp4q wrote

Use uBlock to block the ads and Ovagames to download the games

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FrontAd8693 OP t1_it7r4m3 wrote

I think I’m just gonna get games the legal way now 😅

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QwertyChouskie t1_it9r9fm wrote

Still get uBlock Origin though, having a good adblocker is as important, if not more, than antivirus nowadays.

There was a recent post here on Reddit warning about the top result for MSI Afterburner (a legitimate, free utility) being an "ad" that went to an identical website but the download contained a keylogger or something along those lines.

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laplongejr t1_itgqgkj wrote

uBlock origin and as the cherry on top, a network-wide DNS blocker like Pihole, Adguard or NextDNS

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reevanas t1_itr9juf wrote

I mean what you've described is a Google Search Network Ad which an Ad Blocker wouldn't even block. Scammers have been using Google Ads for a while now to do this.

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QwertyChouskie t1_itrzn9e wrote

I don't know what adblocker you are using that doesn't block Google Search ads but sounds like it's time to switch...

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axewhyzedd t1_it7u1la wrote

That's the best way to avoid viruses then 😅

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laplongejr t1_itgpef1 wrote

Note that some legal games can still cause damages to a computer. Notably, a dreamcast game loaded a virus when plugged into a computer to access the bundled screensaver. And some legal games anticheat system is borderline acting as a rootkit.

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axewhyzedd t1_ithwar8 wrote

I heard Valorant's Vanguard Anti Cheat was acting as a rootkit. Not sure if it was true though.

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laplongejr t1_ithyq0g wrote

Well, it is a question of control. An anticheat, by definition, is a software that needs to strip control from the user to give it to its developer.
A software bundled with a malicious piece of code to "strip control from the user to give it to its developer" is the practical definition of a rootkit.

So it depends on what is or isn't malicious, but computers don't care about that.

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laplongejr t1_itgpoxy wrote

Note that you can legally get free games, like on r/FreeGamesOnSteam that list such deals.
Some special cases to the rule also exists : Minecraft used to provide the old Classic for free in browsers, nowadays provides a time-limited demo, and Raspberry Pi OS still bundles a very, very old legal free copy of Minecraft with features to integrate the virtual world with IRL devices.

And sometimes you can pay for an illegal copy, like Uplink in 2000 : the publisher never paid the dev for the copies they sold, which means the people who paid for the game weren't more legal than the ones who pirated.

While I'm on it, devs prefer that you pirate games rather than using key resellers. It is a legally grey area, but those keys are often obtained with stolen details, or by scamming the devs out of press keys. Both cost money to the dev's customer support team, while pirating doesn't cost them a penny. It's technically a legal copy, but it's a very unethical way of getting cuts.

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[deleted] t1_it71hsz wrote

[deleted]

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FrontAd8693 OP t1_it7r6x3 wrote

I’ll do that. Thanks for the tip!

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shrimpely t1_it8dz71 wrote

Better be safe than sorry! Ill send you a private message

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aepfelpfluecker t1_itlj9by wrote

Why, and to the op never download something a reddit user pms you lol

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shrimpely t1_itlp6ol wrote

I didnt send a link or a file, just suggest an alternative without ads: rin.

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0oITo0 t1_it7v8qa wrote

Just install dodgy games within a VM or sandbox next time. Less danger

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TypicRavager t1_it7ypir wrote

That's prolly cuz u used wrong website and touched the wrong ads. That's what I hate about most sites these days as they dont control harmful ads. They dont even show you how to get past these virus ads lol. If you gonna pirate a game use fitgirl repacks dot site (make sure its .site). Her repacks have no viruses according to avast and malwarebytes but she has been accused of using computers to mine bitcoin. Also, quickwarning, once you install a game, a large game, prepare to not be able to use ur pc for awhile because its resource intensive. GTA was about 53 GB for me and when I downloaded it, I couldnt use my computer for 14 hours. After installstion is done, enjoy. Dodi and skidrow are great alternatives. If you want your game pre installed the worldofpcgames. Com but careful of ads

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limasigurddavid t1_itu4bum wrote

How Old are you, Must be a boomer right, right?

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thrwaway9932 t1_it7rifb wrote

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

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azlan194 t1_it7u914 wrote

There is if you know where to find them, lol

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acroredditor t1_itdtdct wrote

Reminds me when I visited website with guide for a hard quest, and my anti-virus warned me 6 times about some sketchy file trying to get on my PC

Also I had an internet friend that was a little bit weird. Then he sent me some virus link. After some time I found out he is a predator and did a dirty thing on Roblox...

Lesson learnt: never be friend with someone you met in Genshin Impact

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