Steam hit by 4th malware-infected game this year. Valve’s platform no longer feels safe

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How confident are you in Steam’s security? For years, Steam has been a trusted source for buying and downloading video games, and users generally expect everything they download to be safe. However, malware appearing on Steam is happening more often, and it’s starting to damage that trust. Recently, another game was found to contain harmful software. While it has since been removed, it had already caused problems for some users.

Malware is becoming more common on Steam, and it’s eroding users’ trust in the platform

Steam receives hundreds of new games every month – SteamDB estimates over 18,000 were added in just 2024, averaging around 50 games per day. Despite this huge influx, users understandably expect Steam to prevent malicious software from being available. Unfortunately, people are always trying to exploit vulnerabilities, meaning malware sometimes makes it onto the platform. Security teams often have to respond to these threats as creators constantly develop new ways to bypass protections.

Steam isn’t without fault in all of this, not by a long shot. User trust in the platform is declining, and for good reason. Many will remember the ‘PirateFi’ game earlier this year – it was quickly removed after being found to contain malware. Now, ‘Block Blasters’ has been taken down for the same reason. This is at least the fourth time this year that malware has appeared in a prominently featured game on Steam.

A researcher named ZachXBT reported that malware disguised as a game called Block Blasters, which was available on Steam for over a month, stole more than $150,000 from players. ZachXBT shared evidence on social media, including screenshots and reports from users who lost money. One particularly heartbreaking case involved streamer rastaland.TV, who had at least $32,000 stolen during a livestream meant to raise money for cancer treatment. While other donations have helped cover the loss, this incident should not have happened.

After a series of security issues this year, many Steam users are understandably concerned about safety. While completely avoiding risk means stopping Steam use altogether, some risk exists with any source of PC games. The best defense is to be cautious: always check for reviews before downloading, ignore unsolicited offers of codes or beta access, and install reliable security software. Fortunately, a vigilant user recently discovered and reported malware in a Steam game, preventing infection and getting the harmful game removed, as highlighted by Kaspersky.

Valve hopefully will work to regain user trust and improve Steam’s security. However, no system is perfect, and malicious software creators will always find new ways to bypass protections. The most important takeaway is to always be cautious online, even on platforms you generally trust, like Steam.

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2025-09-22 23:32