Over 1000 users of the popular online game marketplace Steam identified spyware being distributed alongside game files last week.
Redshell, the spyware program discovered by Reddit User, Alexspeed75, tracks user data and behavior and shares it with an unknown number of 3rd parties.
So far, 56 games have been identified as including the spyware, including popular titles like Elder Scrolls Online, Civilization VI, and Kerbal Space Program. ( A full list of known infected titles is available here.)
While some Steam users have taken to removing and refunding the games completely, other users have begun fighting against the machine. Reddit user, Bitvar posted a batch script which will edit the user’s Host file to direct the Redshell spyware to a virtual black hole of sorts.
Users of the Steam marketplace are encouraged to utilize the batch file above as well as contact developers to demand the removal of spyware in purchased software.
Computer running slow? Worried about spyware, malware, or other unwanted programs? Contact us to schedule a Software refresh today!