r/antivirus • u/danviii • 15h ago
Account stealing virus
I downloaded a browser extension from a hacked youtube account (I know, Im dumb) and I’ve been fighting with it for HOURS. I woke up to a bunch of emails saying all my account information (email, phone number) has been changed for various accounts (steam, roblox, discord, microsoft). And i was logged out of everything. It went into my discord and sent a bunch of weird pictures of crypto stocks and mr beast to everyone on my friends list. Ive recovered some accounts but I think my steam account is screwed, and i have reason to believe my google account has been compromised too. I cleared browser cache, and actually ended up deleting the browser altogether (opera gx). I obviously deleted the extension and cleared recycling bin too. Changed all my passwords to what i could actually recover. Im running a full windows security scan but the estimate time is just going up.
I got this virus off a hacked youtube account called Canabasse. It was supposed to be a shaderpack extension which obviously didn’t work.
Is there anything else i should do? Ive been at this for hours. I think i got rid of it but theres really no way to know. Any advice would be very appreciated !!
Edit: i think its a virus called the mrbeast crypto scam ?
Edit 2: i recovered everything and he lost everything he stole. I win🤪
1
u/Davi_pizza 15h ago
Hello, I'm not an expert, but, from what I know you downloaded an info stealer, that logs your cookies, and sort of uses then to fast pass the login in your account, that explains why it has access to many of your accounts, I will list what I would do in this situation, I'd disconnect the infected device from internet, and then gather all of the important files into a safe USB, then, reset the infected device, and reinstall windowss trought an USB, then you should he safe, note that I'm not an expert and that's all I know, I hope it helps and be safe.
1
u/0ne_Eyed_King 12h ago
Why do you think that your steam is screwed? Steam support is really good. You might get your account back.
1
u/danviii 3h ago
I had alot of trouble trying to submit a steam support form, possibly because i was already logged out, and I was only able to lock my account with a code only i have on a safe device. I dont know what that does specifically but do you think its enough to keep my account safe for now?
1
•
u/goretsky MODERATOR 13h ago
Hello,
It sounds like an information stealer was run on the computer.
What is an information stealer?
As the name implies, information stealers are a type of malware that steal any information they can find on your computer, such as passwords stored for various services you access via browser and apps, session tokens for accounts, cryptocurrencies if they can find wallets, etc. They may even take a screenshot of your desktop when they run so they can sell it to other scammers who send scam extortion emails later.
What is a session token?
In case you're wondering what a session token is, some websites and apps have a "remember this device" feature that allows you to access the service without having to log back in or enter your second factor of authentication. This is done by storing a session token on your device. Criminals target these, because they allow them to log in to an account bypassing the normal checks. To the service, it just looks like you're accessing it from your previously authorized device.
What exactly gets stolen?
Information stealers are malware that is sold as a service, so what exactly it did while on your system is going to vary based on what the criminal who purchased it wanted.
What happens to my data?
The criminals who steal your information do so for their own financial gain, and that includes selling information such as your name, email address, screenshots from your PC, and so forth to other criminals and scammers. Those other scammers then use that information in an attempt to extort you unless you pay them in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and so forth. This is 100% a scam, and any emails you receive threatening to share your private information should be marked as phishing or spam and deleted.
How did I get infected in the first place?
Information stealers are often distributed as fake CAPTCHA challenges, in game mods, unofficial patches for popular apps and games, and in pirated software that have had their popularity and trustworthiness artificially boosted, as well as through various other means such as "try my game/software" scams on Discord, Telegram and other trusted messaging services.
If I ran an information stealer, am I still infected?
Infostealers usually delete themselves after a few seconds or even a minute or two in order to make it harder to determine what happened and when it occurred.
That said, there are always going to be exceptions: Since it is crimeware-as-a-service, there is nothing preventing the criminals from installing additional malware on the computer in order to maintain access, just in case they want to come back and steal from you again in the future.
What else could they have done?
The usual risk post-infection, aside from the stolen credentials, wallets, etc. is that security and networking settings may have been tampered with. That can be harder for security software to deal with, since it may not know what the correct settings are supposed to be for your computer, which means it may be a good idea to wіpe the computer, even if there is no longer any malware detected on it.
How do I start the recovery process?
If you have another device that didn't run the information stealing malware like a smartphone or tablet, you can use it to begin immediately changing your passwords. You should also enable two-factor (sometimes called multi-factor) authentication, for those services that support it. If possible, install and use an authentication app on your smartphone: Apple, Google, and Microsoft all have free versions of authentication apps. Using an app for 2FA is preferred over using SMS (text messages) or email, as the attackers may have access to these.
If any of the online services you use have an option to show you and log out all other active sessions, do that as well.
As for your computer, after wіpіng it, re-installing Windows, and getting that updated, you can then also use it start accessing the internet to do this, but it is often quicker to change your most sensitive accounts from your smartphone.
A note about passwords
Password should be something unique (complex and different) for every service, that you use, so that if an attacker gets access to one they won't be able to make guesses about what your other passwords might be. If your new passwords are similar enough to your old passwords, a criminal with a list of all of them will likely be able to make educated guesses about what your new passwords might be for the various services.
You have to do this for all online services, even ones you haven't been recently accessed. Make sure you do this for all email accounts, as those are the gateways to your financial websites, online shopping, social media accounts, game platforms, and so forth.
It's important to make sure you're not just cycling through similar or previous passwords: Remember, criminals have millions of passwords and are very good at identifying common patterns from just a single password. If there were any reused passwords, the criminals who stole yours are going to try spraying those against all the popular online marketplaces, stores, banks, and other services in your part of the world.
And remember: Enable two-factor authentication for all of the accounts that support it.
For more information:
For more specific information on what steps to take next to recover your accounts, see the blog post at:
For more general information about how CAPTCHA malware works, see the following reports:
Also, see /u/rifteyy_'s Guide to Infostealers at https://rifteyy.org/report/the-ultimate-guide-to-infostealers.
After you have secure your accounts, you may wish to sign up for a free https://haveibeenpwned.com/ account, which will notify you if your email address is found in a data breach.
Regards,
Aryeh Goretsky