Wallpaper Engine to Remove Application-Type Wallpapers After Malware Reports
The removal of application-type wallpapers eliminates a legacy feature that had become a vector for malware, affecting a very small portion of the user base but addressing a security controversy that drew significant attention.
Reporting from 2 sources: Automaton, Game Spark.
The Wallpaper Engine team announced on June 30 that it will delete all application-type wallpapers from the Steam Workshop, citing security risks after Kaspersky reported nearly several dozen wallpapers containing malware. The feature, which allowed .exe files to run as wallpapers, accounted for only 0.5% of total wallpapers. Users have a one-week grace period to back up files.
The Wallpaper Engine team announced on June 30 that it will delete all application-type wallpapers from the Steam Workshop, following reports from cybersecurity firm Kaspersky that nearly several dozen such wallpapers contained malware. The application type, which allowed .exe files to run as wallpapers, was a legacy feature from early development, hidden by default and intended for users who understood the risks. The team said the feature accounted for only 0.5% of total wallpapers, and the number of affected users is very small. Users who want to keep their application-type wallpapers can back them up locally during a grace period of approximately one week. The development team noted that built-in editors and the JavaScript-based SceneScript language now offer similar creative freedom without requiring custom executables.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.