Steam and Malware

[Vulgo_Professor]

This morning, 03/27/2025, an attempted purchase of $208 was made through my Steam account. I noticed that other Steam customers have experienced the same issue and it wasn't that long ago. It didn't take long for me to understand that it was some kind of malware. I've noticed that some Steam customers have been suffering from malware for some time now.
The curious thing about this is that the malware makes purchases through Steam, whether of games or items. What's even more curious is that the company does nothing, because the malware benefits Steam, because the purchase value continues to go normally to Steam, and the movement of items adds market value to the company as usual.
Even with double verification, some customers' accounts continue to be at risk.
It's very sad to realize that the company won't do anything, because it profits while its customers are being harmed.

[peppermint hollows]

What do you expect Valve to do about malware you put on your computer?

[Realigo Actual]

If you think Valve is dropping the ball on customer protection, I can't imagine what it would look like for you to realize what the big tech companies sit on. It probably would look like something the big tech companies would do when they realize what the telecoms sit on. You should be sitting on something to realize what the telecoms sit on.

If it was your phone, well, phones are not secure.

If it was your computer, I'd say try running only Steam on that computer. No web browser. No other software. Just Steam, and OS.

It's not Valve's fault that there is presently such a delta between the understanding of threat actor capability and the actual state of threat actor capability. I don't know whose fault that is but it's somebody's fault.

[The End]

Originally posted by Mr.Skullz:

It didn't take long for me to understand that it was some kind of malware. ... What's even more curious is that the company does nothing, because the malware benefits Steam...

You getting your computer infected/compromised has nothing to do with Steam.
Valve is not responsible for cleaning your computer for malware you have installed.

You need to learn how to keep your computer/credentials safe.

I've been using Steam for 21+ year, never had my account compromised.

Here is some info on how to secure your account.
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/6639-EB3C-EC79-FF60

[Princess Luna]

Originally posted by peppermint hollows:

What do you expect Valve to do about malware you put on your computer?

Expect Valve to remove it

[Chika Ogiue]

Keep this in mind, you agree to it every time you use Steam:

NO GUARANTEES

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, NEITHER VALVE NOR ITS AFFILIATES GUARANTEE CONTINUOUS, ERROR-FREE, VIRUS-FREE OR SECURE OPERATION AND ACCESS TO STEAM, THE CONTENT AND SERVICES, YOUR ACCOUNT AND/OR YOUR SUBSCRIPTION(S) OR ANY INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

Account security is your responsibility. Your PC environment is also your responsibility. The only person who can guarantee that your PC is 100% virus and malware free and can take the steps required to ensure as such, is you.

In the exceedingly rare instance of malware being detected in a released game, Valve contact purchasers of that title and advise them of what steps should be taken. If that malware were to be determined as the actual cause of an account hijack, Valve would take responsibility; as they have done in the past for other exploits that were determined to be caused by something they did (or failed to do). But the overwhelmingly vast number of accounts that are breached are done so because the account owner didn't maintain vigilant enough security in regards to their account and / or their PC. Valve will not compensate for those instances.

[Vulgo_Professor]

Seems like most of you guys don't want Steam to improve protection. Would be for your own good, but, you know, the "free world" has its price, doesn't?

[The End]

Originally posted by Mr.Skullz:

Seems like most of you guys don't want Steam to improve protection. Would be for your own good, but, you know, the "free world" has its price, doesn't?

Security on Steam is good. Valve has no way to hold your hands when you go online.
Learn to keep your account and system safe.

[Vulgo_Professor]

Originally posted by Princess Luna:

Originally posted by peppermint hollows:

What do you expect Valve to do about malware you put on your computer?

Expect Valve to remove it

Thats exactly what I thought. But, most of people seems not to want improvement from Steam. So, nobody is safe and that's it. Theres nothing we can do about? There's nothing Valve can do about? People just accepting it is frustrating!

[Vulgo_Professor]

Originally posted by The End:

Originally posted by Mr.Skullz:

Seems like most of you guys don't want Steam to improve protection. Would be for your own good, but, you know, the "free world" has its price, doesn't?

Security on Steam is good. Valve has no way to hold your hands when you go online.
Learn to keep your account and system safe.

Based on the responses in this thread and others I've seen here, there is NOTHING that can be done about the security of our Steam accounts. No form of protection is 100%, and the company won't do anything, because it ends up benefiting if the customer gets screwed.

[The End]

Originally posted by Mr.Skullz:

Originally posted by The End:

Security on Steam is good. Valve has no way to hold your hands when you go online.
Learn to keep your account and system safe.

Based on the responses in this thread and others I've seen here, there is NOTHING that can be done about the security of our Steam accounts.

Valve did what they could, the rest is up to the user, lack of common sense is the main reason people get their computers/accounts compromised.

/Have a great day.

[Komarimaru]

So, let me get this straight. You have full control on everything about your PC, get malware, get compromised, and it's Valve's fault?

That's a far fetch, since they've several ways to protect your account.

[Vulgo_Professor]

Originally posted by Realigo Actual:

If you think Valve is dropping the ball on customer protection, I can't imagine what it would look like for you to realize what the big tech companies sit on. It probably would look like something the big tech companies would do when they realize what the telecoms sit on. You should be sitting on something to realize what the telecoms sit on.

If it was your phone, well, phones are not secure.

If it was your computer, I'd say try running only Steam on that computer. No web browser. No other software. Just Steam, and OS.

It's not Valve's fault that there is presently such a delta between the understanding of threat actor capability and the actual state of threat actor capability. I don't know whose fault that is but it's somebody's fault.

Man, I know about these things, what pisses me off is that NOBODY is complaining about improvements or changes. It seems like everyone is apathetic and conveniently silent.

[Amaterasu]

You gave away your deets. Steam did not. I could give you the account ID and the password for my original account and aside from getting insanely lucky within one 30 second period, there is no way you would be able to access my account without my Steam Guard code and in fact, would very likely trigger the log in lockout.

Now this is an area of math I admittedly am not the best at, so my statistic might be wrong, Steam Guard has 5 variables that can either be 0-9 or A-Z. This makes for 36 variables. One would think, "Oh, that's simple, it's only 180 different combinations" That's not true at all.

Let's say that the first variable is a 0, the next one can be one of 36, the third one can be one of 36, the next one can be one of 36 and the final one can be one of 36. Which would mean that it would exponentially grow or would equal 1,679,616 different combinations for that particular number. When you don't know any of them, your odds of cracking the code are 1:60,466,175. Or you know, around the same odds of winning the lottery.

Oh and assuming it never uses the same digit twice in the same code. Your odds fall to 1:45,239,039.

[Vulgo_Professor]

Originally posted by Komarimaru:

So, let me get this straight. You have full control on everything about your PC, get malware, get compromised, and it's Valve's fault?

That's a far fetch, since they've several ways to protect your account.

Apparently, these several ways are useless.

[Thiesen]

Originally posted by Mr.Skullz:

Seems like most of you guys don't want Steam to improve protection. Would be for your own good, but, you know, the "free world" has its price, doesn't?

So you want knife manufacturers to stop producing knifes since people can kill othert people with them?

Or perhaps yopu want car manufacturers to stop making cars because people can run you over?

NEWSFLASH!!!

That is not how the real world works...