WARNING: Possible Viral Beta Circulation

[sPaG]

Greetings Half-Life 2 Community,

I don't mean to scare any of you. But it's extremely important to realize that there are some "fishy" things going on out there with the 'leaked' source code from VALVe. I am hearing some pretty disturbing information from sources which claim there are some malicious programmers attempting to use "social engineering" to spread their dangerous virus/trojan software inside the "hl2_beta.rar", a compiled and successfully working source but no content. Users would/could experience system instability, crashes, and possibly hacks if the hackers build their own mailer program in to the source.

This is not a joke. It's a very real threat. It's not meant to scare any of you, but make you realize that this 'source' or 'beta' that has been rumored to float around could very possibly be used for malicious intent. I am hearing, part of the reason why the 'beta', which has been constantly stated being 'stolen', is taking so long to reach circulation is due to malicious transformation. This is a bad sign and I hope many of you take the proper pre-cautions not to download this material.

For any of you kids out there using your parents computers.. this isn't worth the risk to trash their computer as well. For those of you who own your computer, you have a certain obligation to yourself and your own intelligence not to download something so risky. And for all of us excited about Half-Life 2, you have a LEGAL obligation not to download the source or a "leaked beta". All I have to say is, if you download this "beta" and it really is 1.32 gig of gay porn, or even the full working Source engine with malicious code, you get what you deserve.

Personally, I am not going to be downloading anything. I am a programmer and would love to see the source code myself, but I have a lot of respect for the programmers at VALVe because of what I am. I am also smart enough to realize how dangerous it is to download this content, legally and securely. And as much as I want to see how well my machine will perform in Half-Life2, I wont download this supposed "Half Life 2 beta", as that's just suicide. All you people need to realize is it was stolen by some very efficient hackers, who in turn, develop cheats and virus programs, and if they truly hold a fully working beta or even just the source to use social engineering.. you would be stupid not to believe they would use it to their advantage before releasing it in to circulation. That's why it's taking so long.

Look how many of you already downloaded the 1.32G of gay porn. I have a message for those of you attempted to acquire the beta.. "You have been warned." Next time, you will have bigger problems. And the irony in all of this is, you will see how VALVe feels. Damn, that's funny... poetic justice.

I am looking forward to the Half Life 2 release. Even though the source is released, the game isn't finished. They will be patching it and refining it in the future. Especially with games like Counter-Strike2 or TF2.. so the code you all possess will be less valuable as the years go by. I hope VALVe releases Half Life 2 sometime in the not-so distant future. I really hope VALVe continues to operate and can manage possible "rumored law suits". If you ask me, they should turn around and sue Microsoft. Yes, VALVe should be a little more intelligent about their source code distribution and storage within their company, but Microsoft is still causing problems around the globe with their horribly unpatched, unresovled, exploited insecurities. But that's a different topic and hopefully a different thread.

Good luck Gabe, VALVe, and everybody who supports them through this real shitty event. It sounds like the FBI is involved, and they are making progress. Even though many of you laughed at me on this forum for saying the FBI will be involved.. look who is right? This goes to show that you people don't understand the severity of this event.

Anyway, you have been warned. Please don't make me say "I didn't warn you." Don't make me be right again.

Take care Half-Life 2 Community!

 

[Templar]

I wonder if these people would take candy from me... :X

 

[Loke]

Great post, and thanks for the warning.

 

[Joneleth]

It's my belief that if any beta is released to the public, it WILL contain viruses. I would stray entirely away from that sort of thing. I've been hearing about people putting viruses even into the Source code, so I will stay away from that too. It's really not worth it, considering there's not much to be done with the Source code itself.

So I'm agreeing with you here and reccomending that anyone who's trying to find the game, stop now. There's a 99% chance that anything you download could wreck your computer.

 

[rec]

Thank you very much for your contribution, Spag. Brilliant write-up, I'll be making this sticky for at least a reasonable period of time.

 

[Princess_Frosty]

lol

ohhhh dear, scare tactics, theoretcially anything online can containe virii, its like saying "dont cross the road because you maybe hit by a car"

Im not saying some people wont add virii, but people do that with everything, anyoen with any inteligence will download it from people they trust. I've had the source ages with no probs.

 

[The Mullinator]

Best post Ive read all day. Hopefully this will help stop some people from doing something stupid.

 

[theGreenBunny]

Very nice post, let's hope people have enough sense to follow the advice.

 

[Dhoco X]

Pff.. great ! I would like the computer of all the people who download it were destroyed by the virus. :|

 

[sPaG]

Yea, you got your hands on the source pretty early. Luckily, the hackers didn't do anything before it was released. Even Gabe said it was hacked a week before it was in circulation. That gives a dedicated hacker enough time to write a mailer program with a worm and a simple virus program or Trojan.

It doesn't look like this happened.. so many of you probably got lucky. But this "beta" which supposedly "exists", really hasn't been confirmed by anybody out there. I heard some bits of info from the ***** clan.. and they mentioned making "use" of the beta before it was released. Whatever that means?

 

[rec]

As we've already established, there is no "beta". The "beta" archives are full of virii, and explicit trash.

The only playable article that is circulating is the compiled, yet crippled thanks to lack of any models, sound, textures etc. HL2 source with a couple depressing HL1-esque maps.

 

[Joneleth]

ohhhh dear, scare tactics, theoretcially anything online can containe virii, its like saying "dont cross the road because you maybe hit by a car"

They're not "scare tactics." Go download one of the supposed "betas" and find out for your ****ing self. This is just a warning. Don't go blaming anyone else but yourself when your computer gets hacked.

 

[D33]

If you're chatting on IRC and all of a sudden your anti-virus ( mainly nortons ) pops up out of the blue saying you've got a trojan. You can ignore it or delete the log.

Basically people are saying something in irc, a certain line of code. Your anti-virus reads the harmless line of code in your text logs and thinks your log is a trojan. It's not. Just an effective illusion.

Many people have been caught out by this.

 

[otomo]

anything can have a virus. not recommending downloading or anything but this is pretty much a scare tactic.

 

[Templar]

Just find a good anti-virus program you like, and download away. You can always format if you think you have a keylogger and like ordering offline

 

[Joneleth]

If you think anti-virus programs will catch all the viruses out there, then you obviously haven't been using the internet for that long. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

I really hope VALVe continues to operate and can manage possible "rumored law suits". If you ask me, they should turn around and sue Microsoft. Yes, VALVe should be a little more intelligent about their source code distribution and storage within their company, but Microsoft is still causing problems around the globe with their horribly unpatched, unresovled, exploited insecurities. But that's a different topic and hopefully a different thread.

I also wanted to comment here and say that I don't think Valve will be sued by Havok, and I don't think Valve will sue Microsoft. Both companies have good relationships with each other, and if they want it to stay that way, there won't be any lawsuits there.

 

[sPaG]

LOL! I don't use a virus program. Never have. Never had a problem either! But hey, you do what you gotta do.

Like I said in my previous post.. this isn't a scare tactic. It's not meant to scare anybody. I have received some very valuable information which is very legit.

Look, I admire any of you out there who have enough intelligence to put yourself in one of these disturbing people's positions. You got the source code. You can successfully compile the source code. You want to write a virus or trojan. You know there are people out there who can't compile the source who want it.

*click* yet? Is it *clicking* ?

 

[Ruben]

Thanks. Nice post. Good to know. I must admit i was tempted to download the Source, but that was before i realized how serious this was. Thank god. And besides, come to think of it, what on earth was i going to do with it? Nothing. And 99% of the people that downloaded it have absolutely no use for it, unless they are really really interested in C++ that is, in game structure.

And besides, this code is not going to be of much use, seeing as Valve probably already are making big changes to it. To avoid things like mass cheating. Maybe some good things will come of this after all.

 

[Princess_Frosty]

There is one file you shouldnt download, its rar'd and containts the exe file and a map called vehic1.bsp, vehic1.msc and a few textures. The file has a trojan in it and the map doesnt work, but this is obvious since the rar comes with the exe.

I have heard no instances of the source code itself being infected.

P.S HL2 multiplayer is fun

 

[Templar]

P.S HL2 multiplayer is fun

Lies D:

 

[Gorgon]

I am so interested in vC++ and I WANT TO STUDY THE CODE, but unluky me I could not find one link to the file.

 

[sPaG]

Hi Ruben,
I share your optimism! :cheers:
There is too much "Valve is screwed" and "Valve will cease to be" and "Half Life 2 will be delayed" or worse, "Half Life 2 will never come out".

This could actually be a very good thing, in many ways. Valve will and I guarentee, restructure some of their code. It may make the game that much better. The other issues is .. well, as sad as it is, the gaming industry will probably benefit from their mistakes.. i'm sure other gaming companies looked around and said, "Um, by the way.. how is our network?" and the highly advanced engine/code Valve has developed over 5 years, will definitely set a standard around the world. This will make all games great.

I believe MSNBC made a report about this. And they made a great point. So many people are nervous about the game being "copied". But this wont happen. With as popular as this game is, (and will be).. any Half Life fan will recognize the physics and the graphics. Half Life has ALWAYS had a different look from other engines. It's very noticeable.

But anyway, until then, we should steer clear of these possible "virus compilations". As the moderators of HalfLife2.net have said, many times, there is no beta. And if this is true, somebody will social engineer this... make it "real" with a program packed with virii. It's already possible with the leaked source.

 

[sPaG]

Originally posted by Princess_Frosty
There is one file you shouldnt download, its rar'd and containts the exe file and a map called vehic1.bsp, vehic1.msc and a few textures. The file has a trojan in it and the map doesnt work, but this is obvious since the rar comes with the exe.

I haven't heard of this. So my sources were right.
Anybody want to accuse me of scare tactics still?

Thanks for that post Princess_Frosty, this helps confirm what I said.

 

[mbrithoms]

pure scare tactics, I would never download this or anything else for that matter, but this is blatant scaremongering

 

[Joneleth]

pure scare tactics, I would never download this or anything else for that matter, but this is blatant scaremongering

Fine. Believe what you want. I'm not arguing with morons anymore.

 

[sPaG]

LOL, Hey Joneleth.
It's ok to have opinions. But this guy needs to read the posts, some malicious stuff already exists out there. These aren't scare tactics, these are warnings.

It's up to you. Most of us are intelligent and don't download it. Like the moderators mentioned, it's all useless anyway.

 

[No Limit]

Originally posted by Princess_Frosty
lol

ohhhh dear, scare tactics, theoretcially anything online can containe virii, its like saying "dont cross the road because you maybe hit by a car"

Im not saying some people wont add virii, but people do that with everything, anyoen with any inteligence will download it from people they trust. I've had the source ages with no probs.

lol

ohhhh dear, you are so 100% correct there is no virii in this software no chance of that. how can that be that a hacker steals some code and would add a trojan to something that 10s of thousands will download... lol ... that would just be plain stupid... vavle is so gay for doing these scare tactics, no one will ever listen.

Sorry about the retarted spelling and grammer, I wanted to write something that this idiot would understand. It's amazing how many ignorant people this world has, oh well, when their parents computer crashes it will be their problem, not ours.

 

[Joneleth]

LOL, Hey Joneleth.
It's ok to have opinions. But this guy needs to read the posts, some malicious stuff already exists out there. These aren't scare tactics, these are warnings.

Yeah, I know, I'm just tired of all of the blatant ignorance that's been going around for the past few days. It's amazing how people make up the craziest stories when it comes to things they don't understand. I guess it's just human nature to seem all knowing or something.

Anyway, I'm gone from these forums for awhile. Tired of everything. Maybe when this clears up, I'll be back. Maybe not. It's almost sad to see the Half-Life community breaking down over all of this.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

[WARLORD]

Originally posted by G0rgon
I am so interested in vC++ and I WANT TO STUDY THE CODE, but unluky me I could not find one link to the file.

if you can't even find the file you should'nt try C++... :/

 

[Unnamed_Player]

If you download and run an executable from an unknown source you deserve whatever you get. 'Nuff said.

 

[sPaG]

:cheers:

 

[Paradox]

Great Post, honestly anyone who downloads it deserves everything they get.

 

[P4boy]

Originally posted by Joneleth
If you think anti-virus programs will catch all the viruses out there, then you obviously haven't been using the internet for that long. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.



I also wanted to comment here and say that I don't think Valve will be sued by Havok, and I don't think Valve will sue Microsoft. Both companies have good relationships with each other, and if they want it to stay that way, there won't be any lawsuits there.

Don't use a virus program? Thats like saying dont use a condom - Ive never caught anything.

I recommend everyone uses a virus program no matter what you do. As for the beta - looks like its real enough and does not conatin gay porn like the scare mongers would have you believe. Its just a matter of time before its released to the masses.

However, I would recommend waiting for as long as it takes to get the real deal. Halflife 2 is a once in a lifetime experience if its anything like the first one. I for one am not going to spoil that even if it takes another 5 years to come out.

 

[DudeMiester]

Well I saw a package, sort of like the beta version spoken of. If it does have a virus, obviously that has to be contained within the executable files, so if you have the source and have compiled it then you only have to copy the reasource files off and now you have a virus free and sort of working version of HL2. Now the package I saw just contained home-made resource files and textures, which allow you to load the console with text, have a menu, menu bg, and some other stuff. It also allows you to run Hammer and make maps and load them too.

 

[Manty]

Doesn't take much to make a 400mb hl2.beta.rar file on kazaa and put a little old friend called NetDevil in one of the folders

It's up to the stupidity of people :

1) Attempting to download ILLEGAL software
2) Being stupid

 

[InfoSecWillie]

Why do you think source code is so sought after by the underground? So that they can backdoor it and watch all the dumbshits who dl it become part of their botnets.

 

[GJaaGular]

Downloaded it...no probs...just be smart

 

[GJaaGular]

I'm in love with an American Girl she's my best friend

 

[Baal]

very good post, I don't think there was one grammar mistake in the whole thing

 

[He@t!]

Originally posted by Baal
very good post, I don't think there was one grammar mistake in the whole thing

I Concur