Experts warn GTA and Minecraft being used to lure in cyberattack victims - here's how to stay safe

• Experts warn there are millions of game-themed malware variants out there
• Hackers are luring gamers with the promise of loaders, cracks, exclusive content, and more
• GTA, Minecraft, and COD are among the most-abused titles

Grand Theft Auto V (GTA), Minecraft, Call of Duty (CoD), and other popular games, are being abused left and right to distribute malware among the Gen Z gaming community, experts have warned.

A report from cybersecurity researchers at Kaspersky has claimed between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, there were more than 19 million attempts to download malicious files spoofing popular gaming titles.

Overall, it believes some 400,000 people worldwide may have been affected, many of them younger gamers.

GTA, Minecraft, CoD, Sims all hit

Kaspersky says the threat actors are going for older games with large, thriving communities.

GTA V was published more than a decade ago, but thanks ...