Malware-Laced 'Escape from Duckov' Mod Banned After Account Thefts
The incident shows how fraudulent rating inflation can push a malicious mod onto the trending page, turning popularity into a vector for credential theft.
Reporting from 2 sources: GameBusiness.jp, Game Spark.
Team Soda reported a Steam Workshop mod for 'Escape from Duckov' contained malware that tampered with the Steam client, showed fake warnings, and redirected users to phishing sites. The mod and its creator were permanently banned, but some users already suffered account takeovers and financial losses.
The malicious mod was an unauthorized re-upload of existing content, and its creator used fraudulent methods to inflate ratings and comments so it would appear on the trending page and maximize downloads. The embedded code displayed pop-ups disguised as official warnings or account suspensions, tricking users into clicking a contact-support button that led to phishing sites. Team Soda has permanently banned the mod, its creator, and the creator's other Workshop items, but advises users to check the Steam News page for 'Escape from Duckov' for details on the incident and how to respond.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.