‘Don’t be tricked’ as popular metaverse game found ‘hiding trojan’ that silently ‘siphons money from you’, experts warn
CYBERSECURITY experts have discovered a Trojan horse in the Apocalypse Metaverse game.
Apocalypse is a blockchain game that has been generating a lot of buzz in the Web3 community.
The Trojan, uncovered by security firm SlowMist, has been lurking within the game’s software for several weeks.
A Trojan Horse, or Trojan, is a type of malicious code or software that can take control of your computer.
“The @joinapocalypse game is a Trojan! It’s the same old scam but with a new face,” SlowMist tweeted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Don’t be tricked—no matter how slick the design is, feeling tempted could mean your wallet takes a hit.”
The researchers said it’s designed to steal sensitive data, including passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, and credit card numbers.
Experts uncovered the Trojan in the game’s installation file, which users are required to download to play the game.
Once the file is downloaded and executed, the malware is installed on the user’s computer and begins to steal data in the background.
Also attached to SlowMist’s tweet was a screenshot of a security scan carried out by VirusTotal.
This tool lets users analyze URLs, IP addresses, and suspicious files for malware.
VirusTotal flagged Apocalypse’s file as malevolent and found that “fourteen security vendors flagged the Apocalypse Metaverse game file as malicious.”
Moreover, several cybersecurity tools have identified the malware as “trojan.stealer/amos.”
SecureMac, a service specializing in the security of Macs, added that “AMOS is a trojan capable of stealing various pieces of information from a macOS system, including iCloud keychain passwords, system information, browser cookies, and more.”
HOW TO STAY SAFE
There are a few ways users can avoid coming into contact with malicious trojans.
For starters, it’s important to have an anti-virus or anti-malware installed on your devices.
Always keep your device’s software up to date as updates often include security patches.
Never download a link or open an attachment from an email or text message that seems strange, suspicious, or unfamiliar.