Security News > 2022 > November > Fake MSI Afterburner targets Windows gamers with miners, info-stealers
Windows gamers and power users are being targeted by fake MSI Afterburner download portals to infect users with cryptocurrency miners and the RedLine information-stealing malware.
The tool's popularity has also made it a good target for threat actors, who are looking to target Windows users with powerful GPUs that can be hijacked for cryptocurrency mining.
According to a new report by Cyble, over 50 websites impersonating the official MSI Afterburner site have appeared online in the past three months, pushing XMR miners along with information-stealing malware.
When the fake MSI Afterburner setup file is executed, the legitimate Afterburner program will be installed.
While the miner is quietly hijacking your computer's resources to mine Monero, RedLine has already run in the background stealing your passwords, cookies, browser information, and, potentially, any cryptocurrency wallets.
To stay safe from miners and malware, download tools directly from official sites rather than sites shared in forums, social media, or direct messages.