Security experts have noticed that hackers distribute malware via the free VoIP application Discord used by computer gamers, every user is advised to be careful.
Malware Distributed to Discord App Used by Gamers
Security experts have discovered that the computer criminals are becoming more persistent in their attempts to deliver malware to unsuspecting victims. One of the latest interesting cases that was identified is distribution via the free VoIP application designed for gamers Discord.
The service has been found to be used by the hackers to deliver remote access Trojans to the gamers. This was done via the chat servers that are an integral part of the application. Experts from Symantec have also discovered that Discord has also been used for another type of criminal activity – black market groups that sell malware or stolen account credentials.
The security researchers have notified the Discord’s security team about the issue. The service quickly responded by removing the malicious files from the locations where they were distributed – mainly the chat channels of the VoIP servers. In addition they have added a new virus scanning feature that runs on the backend automatically when the user uploads an executable or an archive file.
This incident is just one example of how computer criminals use various aggressive methods to spread malware to unsuspecting users. The viruses are presented through the chat channels as malicious users that trick the users using various social engineering tricks. This is actually a quite efficient way as many users do not suspect that malware can be spread through this medium. Using malware as bait has been a popular tactic that has been used with other services, however only recently we have seen reports that the hackers target Discord. Other popular places include private message spam on Xbox Live and group chat in Twitch streams.
Scammers use various payloads to deliver the dangerous files – directly linking to infected users or to downloaders. The most common scenarios include fake driver downloads that promise to boost the computer performance, cheat codes and trainers to manipulate the game difficulty and other related software.
The Discord service allows gamers to use a secure all-in-one voice and text chat solution that works on both the desktop and the phone. The app is marketed as an alternative to Skype, TeamSpeak and Ventrilo that has several important features:
- IP & DDOS Protection
- Custom Hot Keys
- Smart Push Notifications
- Multiple Channels
- Automatic Failover
- And others
