Virus warning about the read comic online website and a dangerous file spread by compromised Discord accounts

[ImmortalDread]

Those methods have been around for a while. Discord bots are arguably the oldest known scam methods in the world. Not really worth to announce as almost each discord user is aware of it.

 

[DaMonkeMan]

True, but I think they're seldom seen in the servers I'm in, and I haven't seen one in about a year or two actually, so I apologize if that comment was unnecessary, as I rarely see those bots at all.

 

[SlendVeny]

Discord bots are arguably the oldest known scam methods in the world.

15th century spice merchants looking back on their profits: "Blast! I should have used a Discord bot!"

 

[KLOL506]

If you really wanna pirate at your own risk (I can't endorse it here at least because of rules)

Not everyone is tech-savvy so warnings like these are fine.

I would recommend people to check places on reddit like r/Piracy and r/FREEMEDIAHECKYEAH as these are active communities who are continuously checking and highlighting trusted and untrusted websites and sources.

Then yeah, Metalballrun's suggestion is the best way to go about this.

Not all media will be available for legal purchase due to it no longer being available, due to geo-restrictions or due to some other bullshit method from the publishers that screw over legitimate customers (Looking at you, Nintendo, Ubisoft, EA Games, Rockstar Games and Take-Two, Bethesda, ActiBlizz, Squeenix, KONAMI and a few more) and what-have-you, so if you want to preserve these content because the above scumbags won't, piracy is pretty much the only way to save them.

There's a risk with everything, whether you're pirating or going legitimate, but there are ways to curb said risks, just use a good adblocker, don't click on every big-ass download button you see in front of you, and go to legitimate trusted channels for further consultation on where to obtain such rare items. Even antiviruses can't be trusted these days because they sell your data to the highest bidder, and your Windows OS is already sending telemetry data to the highest American overlords.

 

[Antvasima]

Yes, but downloading actual games and programs via Bittorrent is far far far more dangerous than visiting the more reliable comic book reading sites with an adblocking browser such as Brave, antivirus programs such as Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, and good paid VPN services, so if somebody here somehow absolutely has to do so, please at least use a separate computer that you do not use for anything else important, and if there is a risk that it can spread viruses via the same wifi network, have very good antivirus programs installed in your regular computer.

 

[GarrixianXD]

Yes, but downloading actual games and programs via Bittorrent is far far far more dangerous than visiting the more reliable comic book reading sites with an adblocking browser such as Brave, antivirus programs such as Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, and good paid VPN services, so if somebody here somehow absolutely has to do so, please at least use a separate computer that you do not use for anything else important, and if there is a risk that it can spread viruses via the same wifi network, have very good antivirus programs installed in your regular computer.

I don’t what I was thinking about relying on Windows Defender atm

I definitely learnt my lesson xD

 

[KLOL506]

Yes, but downloading actual games and programs via Bittorrent is far far far more dangerous than visiting the more reliable comic book reading sites with an adblocking browser such as Brave, antivirus programs such as Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, and good paid VPN services, so if somebody here somehow absolutely has to do so, please at least use a separate computer that you do not use for anything else important, and if there is a risk that it can spread viruses via the same wifi network, have very good antivirus programs installed in your regular computer.

Antivirus programs aren't infallible, sure, they're good enough, but even legitimate games can fall under that issue where they get caught as false positives. Hence, making exceptions with them in the settings is always necessary.

Also, nobody uses Bittorrent anymore, there are better and more open-source software for such things that are much more secure (Like qBittorrent and Deluge), and once again, subreddits like the ones Metal mentioned are on the active hunt to find out the safest and most trusted of these sites to find such games. Sometimes, legitimate games can pose an even greater risk than pirated ones, as is evident of early 2000s era games that used Safedisc and SecuROM games which cannot be played on Windows 10 at all without using NoCD patches because those forms of DRM are a occupational hazard and have exploits built-in as a side effect (Honestly, that is expected for most DRM these days).

Most of the times, you also only run a risk of getting a virus if you download from untrusted sources or public trackers, private trackers have no tolerance for such things and run with extreme strictness and scrutiny on what goes and what doesn't, and as a result, they are usually much, much safer (It's tough to get into one without a prior invite from a member tho).

As for VPNs, pay for a service that guarantees complete protection against IP sniffing, has no logs, and is also qBittorrent-certified, and is not associated with any country under the Five Eyes.

WARNING: ONCE AGAIN, I AM NOT ADVISING THAT YOU GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO PIRATE GAMES, PAY FOR THEM IF IT IS LEGALLY POSSIBLE TO DO SO IN YOUR LOCATION (Especially DRM-free games from GoG and alike, which have no DRM and are truly yours forever to own and do whatever you wish) AND SPREAD AWARENESS SO THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THEM, I AM ONLY ADVISING YOU TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THE RISKS ARE AND HOW YOU CAN EASILY CURB THEM, IF NOT EXTINGUISH THEM ALTOGETHER, AND THAT THE FEARMONGERING AGAINST THEM IS OFTEN MISPLACED.

Anyway, enough derailing as is.

 

[Antvasima]

Here is a comparison of various VPN providers, in case anybody here is interested:

Which VPN Providers Take Privacy Seriously in 2024? * TorrentFreak

To help you pick the best VPN, we asked dozens of VPNs to detail their logging practices, how they handle torrent users, and more.

torrentfreak.com

 

[KLOL506]

I would buy a VPN if I could but uh... no credit card. So yeah.

 

[JohnConquest1]

Yes, but downloading actual games and programs via Bittorrent is far far far more dangerous than visiting the more reliable comic book reading sites with an adblocking browser such as Brave, antivirus programs such as Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, and good paid VPN services, so if somebody here somehow absolutely has to do so, please at least use a separate computer that you do not use for anything else important, and if there is a risk that it can spread viruses via the same wifi network, have very good antivirus programs installed in your regular computer.

Bittorrent has a bitcoin miner built into the program along with trackers. Don't use that.

 

[KLOL506]

Bittorrent has a bitcoin miner built into the program along with trackers. Don't use that.

Bittorrent was disavowed half a decade ago. I don't see who would be using it other than actual newcomers who know jackshit about the trade.

But yeah, stay far away from it.

 

[JohnConquest1]

Bittorrent was disavowed half a decade ago. I don't see who would be using it other than actual newcomers who know jackshit about the trade.

But yeah, stay far away from it.

I know.
Just the fact its brought up here is worrying.

 

[Antvasima]

Just to clarify, I was intending to refer to the torrenting function in itself, not a specific program.

 

[Metalballrun]

I don’t what I was thinking about relying on Windows Defender atm

It's perfectly fine to rely on Windows Defender if you're not doing anything risky, it's better than installing Avast and the likes.
If you really want some extra protection, you can use malwarebytes.

 

[Antvasima]

Bitdefender is also very good as far as I am aware.

 

[Antvasima]

If any of the alternatives that we mentioned above also begin to trigger antivirus program warnings, please mention it here.

 

[Antvasima]

If any of the alternatives that we mentioned above also begin to trigger antivirus program warnings, please mention it here.