Can’t wait to play Grand Theft Auto IV? Watch out. Hackers are seizing on the hype by spreading malware masquerading as early access to the upcoming game.
NordVPN security researchers are warning about a wave of malware and scam campaigns targeting Android and Windows users with “fake installers, non-existent beta keys, and credential-harvesting phishing pages.”
NordVPN uncovered multiple scam sites pretending to offer exclusive GTA VI beta keys for PlayStation 5 and Xbox gamers. “We need you to help us build Vice City,” one of the scam sites says. Another asks users to go through a verification process that actually tricks them into subscribing to a paid service or downloading a program to receive a fake game key.
The more dangerous threat involves hackers spreading Windows-based malware disguised as supposedly cracked versions of GTA VI. The malware appears to be an Nvidia graphics driver, but it actually modifies a PC’s memory, downloads additional malware, and receives further commands from a hacker-controlled server.
(Credit: NordVPN)
(Credit: NordVPN)
NordVPN spotted the malware circulating through “clones of well-known piracy and repack sites, including fake versions of FitGirl, DODI, and ElAmigos.” To hit Android users, variants of fake apps called “GTA 6 Beta” have been circulating, some of which appear on Google Search.
NordVPN notes: “There is no actual game inside. When running, the app silently serves full-screen ads and redirects users to external pages that pressure them into subscribing to paid services or downloading further malware, disguised behind fake human verification steps.”
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(Credit: NordVPN)
GTA VI was supposed to be released today, May 26, before Rockstar Games delayed its launch to Nov. 19. As a result, the threat will likely persist for months, if not longer. GTA VI will first release on PS5 and the Xbox Series X/S. No date has been announced for a PC or Android port, giving cybercriminals an opportunity to push their fake installers on those gamers. Bitdefender noted that malware exploiting interest in the game goes back to at least 2024.
It also doesn’t help that rumors of GTA VI preorders are now emerging, giving hackers another way to target unsuspecting gamers, NordVPN notes. “When people are desperate to get early access to something, their guard comes down. That’s the window attackers exploit,” says Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.
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Michael Kan
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I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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