Kaspersky warns of malware in anime wallpapers for Wallpaper Engine

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Kaspersky says Steam Workshop wallpapers were used to spread malware through Wallpaper Engine

Application wallpapers can run executable code on Windows


Kaspersky researchers say attackers used Steam Workshop and Wallpaper Engine to distribute malware through infected desktop wallpapers.

The campaign involved multiple wallpaper packages uploaded to Steam Workshop. According to Kaspersky, some of them had already reached thousands or tens of thousands of downloads before removal. The company says Steam users in China and Russia were the main targets, with other victims found in Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, Vietnam, India and Canada.


Source: Kaspersky

Wallpaper Engine itself is not the malware. The issue is tied to “application wallpapers,” one of the supported wallpaper formats. These wallpapers can run executable Windows programs as a desktop background, which allowed attackers to hide payloads inside content that looked like normal user-generated Steam Workshop items.

Kaspersky found two delivery methods. Some wallpapers included malicious EXE files, DLLs or scripts directly in the package. Others hid malware inside password-protected archives, with passwords stored in file names or configuration files. In several cases, the payload executed automatically after the wallpaper was installed and applied.

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