In brief: If you're ever tempted to download a pirated game or app, remember that in addition to being illegal, there's the risk of it containing some nasty malware. Millions of PCs were infected with a trojan virus using this method, leading to the theft of over 1TB of data, including email addresses, login credentials, and documents. Information technology was even able to hijack a webcam and photograph users.

NordLocker writes that a hacking group revealed the location of a database containing the stolen data by accident. Security researchers and so analyzed the information in partnership with a third-political party company specializing in data breaches.

The analysis showed that 3.ii 1000000 Windows-based computers were infected by the malware, resulting in one.2 TB of files, cookies, and credentials being stolen betwixt 2022 and 2022. The database included ii billion cookies, over 400 million, or 22%, of which were still valid at the time of discovery.

A typical hacker

Among the data were 1.1 1000000 unique email addresses, 26 million login credentials, and 6 1000000 files stolen from Desktop and Downloads folders. Around 900,000 image files, over 600,000 Word files, and 3 million text files fabricated up the majority of the database, though in that location were over 1,000 different types of files.

Worryingly, the malware was able to capture a photograph of the user if the compromised device had a webcam. It as well assigned unique device IDs to the data to make trawling through everything easier.

The unnamed trojan was spread through illegal Adobe Photoshop downloads, Windows cracking tools, and pirated games. NordLocker notes that custom malware such every bit this can exist bought on the dark web and unscrupulous sites for every bit little as $100, and it tin can be tailored to a buyer'due south specific requirements.