Valve has pulled the game “Sniper: Phantom’s Resolution” from Steam after multiple users reported that its demo installer contained information-stealing malware, Bleepingcomputer reports.
The game, listed under the developer name “Sierra Six Studios,” was set for an upcoming release but is now completely removed from the platform.
Before its removal, the developers had warned players to avoid downloading the game from unofficial sources due to security risks. However, users quickly discovered that even the Steam-hosted version required downloading a separate installer from an external GitHub repository, which raised red flags. Further investigation revealed that the installer, disguised as “Windows Defender SmartScreen.exe,” contained malicious tools designed for privilege escalation, cookie theft, and persistence on infected systems.
The GitHub account ‘arda1337’, linked to the game’s developer, was found hosting additional crypto tools and Telegram bot toolkits, further confirming suspicions of malicious intent. After reports surfaced, GitHub removed the repository, and Valve followed suit by deleting the game from Steam. The developer’s website has also been taken offline.
Users who installed the game are advised to uninstall it immediately and run a full system scan to remove any lingering malware. This incident comes just a month after another Steam game, PirateFi, was found distributing the Vidar infostealer to unsuspecting users.
