Windows Detected a Trojan in Elite Dangerous' Game Files

[Envisitor]

Use a better antivirus program.

https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/213037285-Virus-detected-in-the-game-s-executable-false-positive-warning?product=gog

Steam Support :: Antivirus software reports Steam games are malicious

help.steampowered.com

A little off-topic, but...:
Nowadays, I would throw all external antivirus-software directly into the bin.
External AVs are in many cases rather a "snake oil" than a true measurement of security.
Quick example/explanation: Most AVs on the market "need" (rather "want") full control over your system.
Usually, operating systems like Windows are protected by an own security-features like Windows Defender. If you now hand over protection to a 3rd-party-software, you can imagine it like pushing a knife or similar into an object. Around the knife, the object isn't sealed any longer. And these "leaks" can be abused by attackers, malware etc. You are handing over system control/protection to something which possibly is easier to trick. If something malicious is able to trick it, it might get full system control.
Sure, Windows Defender isn't perfect, but it's "native".

Other pros of staying with e.g. Windows Defender:

• it is cheaper. To be certain, free of charge. Well, considering money. Data-security is another story.
• it is in many cases less resource-consuming than 3rd-party software
• you don't send data to an "additional" company

(In this text, I only meant antivirus software. VPN-software and so on are another story.)

 

[Zac Cocken]

Just to reassure you all while we investigate the cause, if you are experiencing this, it's a false positive from your anti-virus. There's no trojan.

 

[HappyMoonMonkey]

Just to reassure you all while we investigate the cause, if you are experiencing this, it's a false positive from your anti-virus. There's no trojan.

Thank you. I appreciate the follow up.

 

[Jonkarra]

A little off-topic, but...:
Nowadays, I would throw all external antivirus-software directly into the bin.
External AVs are in many cases rather a "snake oil" than a true measurement of security.
Quick example/explanation: Most AVs on the market "need" (rather "want") full control over your system.
Usually, operating systems like Windows are protected by an own security-features like Windows Defender. If you now hand over protection to a 3rd-party-software, you can imagine it like pushing a knife or similar into an object. Around the knife, the object isn't sealed any longer. And these "leaks" can be abused by attackers, malware etc. You are handing over system control/protection to something which possibly is easier to trick. If something malicious is able to trick it, it might get full system control.
Sure, Windows Defender isn't perfect, but it's "native".

Other pros of staying with e.g. Windows Defender:

• it is cheaper. To be certain, free of charge. Well, considering money. Data-security is another story.
• it is in many cases less resource-consuming than 3rd-party software
• you don't send data to an "additional" company

(In this text, I only meant antivirus software. VPN-software and so on are another story.)

That depends if we were all using windows defender exclusively in this case we'd all be worried right now about a false positive. There are better solutions available these days than purely signature based detection. Different teams have more efficient signatures which create less false positives or worse less false negatives. As for sending data back you sign up for that no vendor forces you to send data back for analysis and you have to decide which vendor you trust most with your data.

 

[S3NS3R]

it's a false positive from your anti-virus. There's no trojan

That's the very same thing a Hacker would say I'll just sit back waiting for a call from a scam call centre i believe that's the next step

 

[robbyp]

You have already had the scam call. Its from your antivirus program telling you porkies.

 

[S3NS3R]

Aren't Anti-viruses great, protecting us from stuff that's safe and letting in every bit of malware they can find that takes the longest to get rid off.

 

[TiberiusDuval]

Many games in general, especially ones having some exotic DRM/anticheating stuff can cause false alerts. As they use similar tricks as viruses to obfuscate running code and so on.

 

[s00zster]

Just to reassure you all while we investigate the cause, if you are experiencing this, it's a false positive from your anti-virus. There's no trojan.

Thanks for the confirmation. It was Windows Defender that reported it.

 

[BDelacroix]

Often windows "algorithm" flags things simply because a product uses another product that someone somewhere used for nefarious deeds.
Its a case of "hitler drank water, too".

 

[GonzTheMalificent]

I had this trojan yesterday around 7pm, Windows Defender picked it up. I know! hoodathunkit!

 

[badibeat]

Many games in general, especially ones having some exotic DRM/anticheating stuff can cause false alerts. As they use similar tricks as viruses to obfuscate running code and so on.

Good point.
And well compressed or encoded files become very similar to pseudorandom sequences and may contain pretty much every virus signature if they become veeery looong.

 

[Mr T]

 

[Leadfoot]

I had gotten a ton of false positives from AVG concerning my copy of Train Simulator (was from M$ but bought and fixed-up by Dovetail Games). It was always the executable (without with the game won't start). Told AVG to ignore it.