@JohnFromGWN said in QuantV Malware:

@Niziul

Fully agree. Unless the script is open source and ofc inspected, there isn't any guarantee it is safe. And virus scanning is not appropriate for customized scripts.

An OIV can also do damage, often by stupidity rather than bad intentions, but at least they can be inspected.

Asi mods are the most dangerous given hard if not impossible to decompile, but even then the average user won't have a clue how to decompile a dll. They won't even have a clue how to unarchive an OIV.

Edit: with the exception of mainstream tools like OpenIV, Codewalker, and the texture toolkit, i never install any mods with .exe files. Same goes for asi files accept the established ones, and never an OIV.

The only truly efficient way to mitigate the effects of such malware is to simply NOT run V as root/admin. Most people are lazy, though, as run all their software with admin privileges, so a full wipe-attempt will, indeed, be quite successful. Using an unprivileged account to run GTA V would perhaps cost you some personal documents under that account, but not much more.

@JohnFromGWN said in QuantV Malware:

I'm not a lawyer but how can you prove any prejudice or damages, particularly from a leaked version but even from a misbehaved legal version, let alone financial damage.

For starters, 'prejudice' (did you mean 'malicious aforethought'/criminal intent? can be proven pretty easily. Even a single look at those lines of codes clearly shows mens rea.

The following is just speculation on my part, just for discussion, not argument. Anyone who used a leaked version will be likely discredited as thieves but one illegal act doesn't justify another.

Indeed, "Two wrongs don't make a right," as they say.

I remember, in the past, reading similar stories, where developers thought setting traps in their software would deter piracy. Another example of one illegal act not justifying another.

The only big one I know of who ever pulled this was Sony (with their infamous CD rootkit: an act whch has hunted them for years, reputation-wise).

@Reyser There are several legal remedies possible.

1. In many Western countries, installing malware (or have it execute) on another person's computer opens you up to criminal exposure.

2. There's also a Civil route; and perhaps the most opportune one, as I heard it reported that Quant pulls ca. $10K a month from his QuantV mod (not sure how reliable that number is). And, those affected, can definitely prove (severe) damage: lost data, lost time, loss of income as a result, etc. Whether someone actually will sue him, is another matter. But I would personally definitely have done so if his little stunt had affected me.

Also, in more general terms, nobody likes pirated use of their software. But even MS -- or any other self-respecting software company, for that matter (like Rockstar, to stay on point) -- would ever resort to such draconian, retaliatory measures as Quant did. A normal company usually sends you a polite notice, along with the suggestion that maybe you thought you had bought their software from a legit dealer (a legally correct stance), but that there's nonetheless a problem with your license, and please contact us.

What Quant did, is simply inexcusable.

@Aurora11 said in QuantV Malware:

@Ch1town83lt9 The people who got their drives wiped aside, I highly believe rockstar and take2 also sue this prick as well. Because for my knowledge, an .asi or .dll file can't do a drive wipedown on their own. However when these files somehow tell an executable file they are injected (which is gta5.exe in this case) to order a wipedown, this can be absolutely done.
So from my understanding, he is using gta5.exe as a bridge to carry out his malicous code which would be using a company asset to deliver a virus

Sorry, bud, that's not how it works. An .asi can simply execute a shell command, to execute a regular DOS command. (Which is, in fact, what happened here: a series of rmdir and assorted commands to delete files on all your drives). GTA5.exe itself is not involved in any way (save to run SHV).

@Eysicks You could edit your gameconfig, and increase this value (at your own peril), to say, 6,000 or so.

<Item>
    <PoolName>Object</PoolName>
    <PoolSize value="2300"/>
</Item>

Something will eventually give, of course (usually lights start disappearing), but a value of 6,000 or so will allow trainers like Menyoo and such to spawn more objects.

@JohnFromGWN For historical accuracy, it's not Rockstar who threatened to sue the OpenIV team, but Take2, aka Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. It was actually Rockstar who eventually called off the Take2 lawyer dogs a bit, in a statement which was tantamount to saying they really don't mind modding, but that incorporating material from other franchises (like Libery City) was taking it too far. (Which also made clear what had likely set off the Take2 lawyers)

@Yungdeno_07 This is more of a local issue, on your computer, than a topic for 'General Modding Discussion' on 5mods. There can be many reasons: AV, shifty connection, etc.

@Ch1town83lt9 We are aware of the (confirmed) issue. A public announcement is being prepared by the team, and one of us will post it shortly.