Fade.exe

Fade.exe is a file associated with recent spyware attacks bundled with Grand Theft Auto mods (AKA, independently downloadable game modifications). Although not every variant of Fade.exe may be threatening, versions of Fade.exe fitting the above profile should be assumed to be potentially harmful to your computer. While detecting Fade.exe beforehand is preferable to risking the exposure of any information on your PC, malware experts also can recommend deleting Fade.exe with the same anti-malware solutions as always.

Fade.exe: a Rising Star of Malware in the Modding Scene

Although video game 'modding,' primarily as a freeware venture has existed for years, the past year has been a notably busy one for modding monetization. Favored game mods are benefiting from renewed interest in both downloading them and profiting by them. Simultaneously, threat authors now are seeing more viability than ever in exploiting mods for the distribution of new threats to the general public. Fade.exe is one of the widest of these exploitations as of yet confirmed, and was seen bundled with a mod promoted by such sites as mainstream as PC Gamer and Kotaku.

Fade.exe latest distribution model has bundled the threat with at least two mods for Grand Theft Auto V: No Clip and Angry Planes. Both of these no longer benefit from hosting from prominent mod-hosting databases, but not before being installed by thousands of GTAV players. In addition to including their legitimate modding content, these mods installed a spyware program under the file name of Fade.exe.

Malware experts found most brands of PC security software detecting Fade.exe as a variant of Kazy or Artemis. The varying names that security tools identify Fade.exe under don't change the spyware's payload, which includes keylogging functions that monitor and collect typed information, such as your account credentials. Modern Fade.exe attacks have been linked to hacked Steam accounts, although accounts for other companies also are likely targets.

Getting a Gamer's Nightmare to Fade Away

Keyloggers embedded in Fade.exe files aren't only distributing themselves through gaming mods; malware experts also have seen identical malware circulated through fake JPG images and randomly named 'junk' files. However, its inclusion in such widely-promoted mods does mean that Fade.exe shows the ease with which malware authors may infiltrate an otherwise trustworthy download network and compromise gamers' machines. Some PC users also have reported issues with identifying Fade.exe during initial scans of the bundled mods, which may prevent this spyware's detection until after Fade.exe installs itself.

Future defenses against Fade.exe and other threats using similar distribution methods can take several forms. You may scan your PC after installing new mods, scan mods prior to installing them, or choose to limit your mod downloads to ones that consist of 'safe' files, such as LUA. Mods that utilize unpacking tools, executable files or other, potentially unsafe components, are possible sources of threats (or even PUPs). Regardless of any steps taken to avoid such threats, malware researchers would urge any victim of a Fade.exe infection to begin changing all compromised passwords as soon as possible after removing Fade.exe.