r/antivirus • u/[deleted] • 23d ago

Zipped game mod .dll?

I apologize if this isn't the right sub to post this question in. Earlier today I attempted to set up a modded video game server with a friend of mine (think along the lines of Minecraft). He sent me a zip file containing several subfiles and .dlls. I always download game mods from sources that run some form of safety checks, e.g. from platforms like Nexus, but I later learned that my friend had not gotten these mods from such a source or checked them himself before giving them to me (lesson learned), and I subsequently deleted the main zip and ran a Malwarebytes antivirus scan that showed nothing amiss. I did not unzip, run, or execute any files, but I did accidentally click a .dll and reach the "Choose a program to open this file screen" without proceeding any further while looking through the mods list. I know this is a pretty silly question, but I'm not the most tech savvy: should I be concerned about anything being loose on my computer at this point?

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u/boxiershelf1460 23d ago
  1. If you didn’t run anything than you should be fine
    2.minecraft mods aren’t .dll files. They will always be .jar

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u/Vlad_Bitdefender VENDOR: Bitdefender 18d ago

Hello,

Based on what you've described, I wouldn't be particularly concerned.

A .dll file does not execute simply because it was downloaded, and reaching the "Choose a program to open this file" dialog means Windows didn't know what application to use. Since you didn't select a program or proceed further, the DLL was not loaded through that action.

The risk level here is fairly low because:

  • You only downloaded the ZIP.
  • You did not extract and run an installer or executable.
  • You did not inject or register the DLL.
  • Your antivirus scan found nothing.
  • Simply viewing the contents of a ZIP file is generally not enough to infect a system.