Do Minecraft mods have viruses?

Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time, with over 140 million monthly active players. A huge part of its success is the vibrant modding community that creates game modifications to expand Minecraft’s capabilities.

But with any user-generated content, there is always a risk of malware infection. So do Minecraft mods contain viruses? Let’s take a closer look at the potential risks and how to stay safe.

Unless you get them from a shady source, Minecraft mods are always safe to download and install. The worst case scenario is corrupting your world, which is rare. A great and reliable place to get mods is Minecraft Forge . Unless you get them from a shady source, Minecraft mods are always safe to download and install.

What are Minecraft Mods?

Minecraft mods are user-created files that modify or add new content to the core Minecraft game. Some examples of popular mods:

New blocks and items – furniture, machines, ores, etc.
New mobs – creatures, animals, bosses
Gameplay changes – new mechanics, abilities, etc.
Graphics improvements – textures, lighting, shaders
Adventure/RPG elements – quests, NPCs, skills
Quality of life tweaks – interface, automation, etc.

Mods let players customize their Minecraft experience however they want. The community has created mods adding everything from realistic physics to entirely new dimensions.

Can Mods Contain Malware?

Unfortunately, yes – Minecraft mods can contain malware. While the mods themselves don’t originate from Mojang or Microsoft, malicious code can be inserted into mod files uploaded by third parties.

Some examples of risks from infected Minecraft mods:

Trojans – Malicious software that disguises itself as a normal file. Once installed, it can spy, steal data, or harm your system.
Viruses – Self-replicating malware that spreads by attaching to other files. Can damage, corrupt, or delete data.
Ransomware – Malware that encrypts files until you pay a ransom to unlock them.
Cryptocurrency stealers – Malware that finds and replaces cryptocurrency wallet addresses with hacker-owned ones.
Credential stealing – Malware that looks for saved usernames/passwords to compromise accounts.

Even reputable mod sites can inadvertently spread malware if security checks fail to detect a bad upload. So it’s safest to take precautions any time you install Minecraft mods.

Recent Minecraft Malware Incidents

There have been a few recent cases of malware found in Minecraft mods:

CurseForge Fractureiser Malware

In July 2022, the popular mod site CurseForge was impacted by malware known as Fractureiser. Over 6,500 infected mod files were downloaded before being detected and removed.

Badlion Client Cryptominer Malware

In 2019, the Badlion Minecraft Client mod was found to contain hidden cryptojacking malware that used players’ devices for cryptomining.

OptiFine RAT Malware

Also in 2019, versions of the OptiFine graphics mod were infected with a Remote Access Trojan allowing hackers to control players’ computers.

So while major mod sites do have security practices, malware still sometimes slips through. It’s always smart to be cautious with any file from an unknown source.

How to Stay Safe with Minecraft Mods

Here are some tips to use Minecraft mods more securely:

Stick to reputable sites – Avoid unknown mod sites that may lack proper vetting. Stick to well-known community hubs like CurseForge.
Scan before installation – Use antivirus software to scan any downloaded mods for malware before installation.
Check user comments – Look for warnings from other users who may have caught malware in a particular mod.
Only use what you need – Don’t go overboard installing lots of mods. Stick to ones from trusted creators.
Monitor for issues – Watch for any suspicious behavior, crashes, lag, or other issues after installing mods.
Use alt accounts – Consider using a separate Mojang account for modded versus unmodded Minecraft.
Back up worlds – Keep backups of important world saves in case a mod corrupts or deletes anything.

Exercising caution goes a long way in avoiding malware from Minecraft mods. But what if you do get infected?

Removing Malware from Minecraft Mods

If your antivirus detects malware or you notice suspicious behavior, take these steps:

Isolate the infection – Determine which mod file is infected and disable it immediately.
Scan and remove – Run a full antivirus scan and delete any detected malware.
Restore backups – Replace infected world saves with clean backups not affected by the malware.
Change passwords – Reset passwords for any accounts potentially compromised by credential-stealing malware.
Reinstall Minecraft – If needed, do a fresh install of the base Minecraft game files.
Avoid reusing the mod – Even if cleaned, it’s best not to reinstall a mod that had malware.

Acting quickly can help limit damage from malicious Minecraft mods. To reduce the chances of this happening at all, only download mods from trustworthy sources and scan them before use.

Is Minecraft Itself Safe?

Importantly, the core Minecraft game downloaded from the official Minecraft.net website is completely safe and malware-free.

The risks only come from third-party mods and community content. So if you stick to pure vanilla Minecraft, you won’t have to worry about viruses at all.

However, mods are a huge part of the experience for many players. So just use common sense – try popular mods from well-known sites, scan files before use, and monitor for anything suspicious.

DO MINECRAFT MODS HAVE VIRUSES?

How are Malware Developers Attacking Minecraft Players?

Its easy to understand why malware developers are targeting Minecraft players. Given how massive the game is, both on PC and mobile, its only natural for malicious agents to target it as a potential avenue for spreading malware. But how are these agents attacking Minecraft players?

Minecraft is somewhat unique in the gaming world, as a large part of enjoying the game is accessed by downloading additional files. Minecraft is a fun game by itself, but the ability to download mods brings it to a new level.

Any Minecraft gamer knows the power of mods. A Minecraft mod has the power to change the game in ways thought unimaginable in the base game. Not only that, but content creators can also mish-mash several mods together into whats known as a “modpack,” which drastically alters how you play Minecraft on a fundamental level.

However, you cannot download modpacks from the Minecraft game client. Instead, you need to go through third-party services and websites to get them, and thats where the malware lies.

Kaspersky reported on how the Google Play store experienced a surge of fake modpacks, each of them promising to enhance the users game. Of course, none of these phony apps did that, but what they did do was spam the users device with advertisements every two minutes.

While Minecraft is the worst-off for malware attacks, dont forget that the report covered other games, too. The report mentioned nine other PC games and four other mobiles games as hotspots for malware.

On the PC, we see a similar situation to Minecraft in second place. The Sims 4 is another game that players love to downloads mods for, and with that comes its own wave of malware and infected files.

After that, the ranking begins breaking down into a collection of popular games that people want to download. Third place goes to PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds, and after that comes Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto 5, Counter-Strike GO, Rocket League, League of Legends, FIFA 21, and Need for Speed Heat in order.

And on mobile, we again see a straight list of popular games that malware developers bandwagon off of to spread their payloads. Among Us sits at second place, followed by PUBG mobile, Free Fire, and Brawl Stars.

Only Download Mods From Trusted Sources

Mods can be a hotspot for malware, but that doesnt mean you need to completely cut it out of your life. There are ways you can safely download mods without fear of getting a nasty surprise hidden within.

Every game with modding capabilities has a hub that collates all the mods safely. For example, Minecraft has CurseForge, which boasts a vast catalog of both mods and modpacks.

Of course, even on these websites, you need to stay vigilant. These websites allow users to upload their files, and you can bet that malware developers will try to pass off their wares as legitimate mods.

However, these websites also typically have a rating and review system. Plus, they will let you know when the mod creator first uploaded the mod to the website. As such, if a mod is both well-reviewed and has existed on the website for a long time, theres a very high chance its legitimate.

How to Avoid Malware Disguised as Video Games

Fortunately, this kind of malware can only function if it manages to trick a user into downloading it. As such, if you know the basics of keeping yourself safe on the internet, then youve done 95% of the work needed to prevent malware from attacking your devices.

FAQ

Can Minecraft mod contain virus?

Minecraft mods are not necessarily viruses, but they can be bait-and-switches or include bundled malware that will run when Minecraft does. Unfortunately for you, 9Minecraft has a reputation for hosting stolen mods (mods rehosted without permission) and mods recompiled to include malware.

Are Minecraft mods safe to install?

While Minecraft mods are usually pretty safe, there are always risks involved with downloading and installing files that you find on the Internet. Some of the most important concerns are: The mod itself might contain malware, spyware, or a virus.

Can you get a virus from mods?

It is quite possible for mods to have a virus attached to them; know where you get the mods and see if the site is trustworthy; you can also check how many downloads the mod received and all that.

Can you get a virus from playing Minecraft?

Avast estimates nearly 50,000 “Minecraft” accounts have been infected. “The malicious code is largely unimpressive and can be found on sites that provide step-by-step instructions on how to create viruses with Notepad,” Avast said.