Some GTA 5 PC Mods Reportedly Include Malware

Certain mods for the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V may include malware, according to research done by a number of players.

A post today on GTAForums (via Reddit) raises the possibility of mods including some kind of malicious software. The exact nature of this remains unclear, and we don't yet know all of the mods that might be delivering the code to players' computers.

In at least one case, it looks as if running the game with infected mods installs a trojan called fade.exe, which then creates log files--possibly of activity on the computer--and transmits that information online. This apparently only happens after opening the game with the mods in question; simply downloading them may not infect you.

It initially seemed this could all be circumstantial, as the original forum poster was tracking the appearance of fade.exe back to when the game was first run with mods. However, other users have since chimed in, reporting they, too, have found traces of the malware. Others claimed they've inspected certain mod files and found they are infected with malware. Allegedly, these mods include NoClip and Angry Planes, possibly among others, though we haven't been able to verify this ourselves.

If you're used infected mods but run antivirus and anti-malware software, it's possible any malware was caught before it could do its thing. Still, if you have run mods, you should change any of your online passwords, and exercise caution before running mods.

That advice has always been true of downloading game mods. This isn't the first instance of them being used to transmit malware, but GTA V is no doubt a prime target due to both its popularity and the lack of official mod support.