Fix Counter-Strike “fuck_mpgh.exe” MBR Malware Spreading on Cheaters’ Forums

A very specific CounterStrike-related malware has been detected in one of the cheats downloaded from the hacking forum “MPGH” (MultiPlayer Game Hacking & Cheats). The malicious main of the main executable of the malware is named “fuck_mpgh.exe” and when activated it performs several malicious activities which lead to the overwriting of the MBR (Master Boot Record) of the infected computer hence rendering the boot of Windows on the logical system drive. If you have been infected by this particular malware infection by trying to download cheats on CS:GO first person shooter, keep reading to learn how to try and fix your computer.

Threat Summary

Name	CS:GO fuck_mpgh.exe
Type	MBR Malware
Short Description	The CS:GO malware overwrites the Master Boot Record to deny access to the hard drive and halt the system on boot.
Symptoms	The user may witness a ransom note(see image in the article below) on system boot./td>
Distribution Method	Via a malicious executable obfuscated in a .rar archive, uploaded on forums as a CS:GO cheat.
Detection Tool	See If Your System Has Been Affected by CS:GO fuck_mpgh.exe Download Malware Removal Tool
User Experience	Join our forum to Discuss CS:GO fuck_mpgh.exe.
Data Recovery Tool	Data Recovery Pro by ParetoLogic Notice! This product scans your drive sectors to recover lost files and it may not recover 100% of the encrypted files, but only few of them, depending on the situation and whether or not you have reformatted your drive.

How Does fuck_mpgh.exe Infect

The archive’s original name is “External Counterstrike”. It is most likely uploaded in one of the most famous forums for game cheats, known as “MultiPlayer Game Hacking & Cheats”. Once the user activates the malicious executable, believing it is a CS:GO cheat, the malware creates a malicious .csproj file which can execute in a privileged mode the following command In Windows PowerShell:

Judging by the ransom note, this is most likely a tool that aims to divert the customers for cheats to another place, referred by the hacker as the ULLR.

Malware Familiar to One from Fosshub

In a previous security breach, most likely the same MBR encryption malware has been used to cause a breach on Fosshub where the boot sectors were overwritten with the almost same message:

CS:GO MBR Malware – One Possible Solution

In case you have become an unfortunate victim of this MBR virus, you may want to try accessing your hard drive from another computer and attempting to fix it. Here are the instructions on how to switch the drive to another PC.

Preparation Phase

For this phase you will need to gather the following tools:

• A screwdriver, corresponding to your desktop/laptop.
• A secure computer that is scanned for malware and cleaned and has a proper ransomware protection.
• Patience.

First of all, you should choose the safe computer from which to scan your files to be a powerful Windows machine which is also secured. This is why we recommend following these steps to secure it:

1. Download an advanced malware protection program.

Spy Hunter scanner will only detect the threat. If you want the threat to be automatically removed, you need to purchase the full version of the anti-malware tool.Find Out More About SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool / How to Uninstall SpyHunter
2. Download a relevant ransomware protection program.
3. Download a relevant cloud backup program that backups copies of your files on a secure server and even if your computer is affected you will stay protected. For more information you can also check another methods to safely store your data here.

Drive Removal Phase

Step 1: Remove battery and power from your laptop. For desktop computers, please remove eliminate the power from the contact.

Step 2: Using the screwdriver, unscrew the case which carries the hard drive. For laptops, you should follow these steps:

Step 3: Remove the hard drive again with the screwdriver. It will look similar to the one on the picture below:

Step 4: Plug-in the hard drive on a secure computer which has an internet connection and Windows installed and screw it in firmly. If connected directly via a separate SATA Cable or SATA to USB conversion cable in addition to the main drive, the hard drive should be detected by the OS as a separate partition or a flash drive, similar to the picture below:

After you have done this, there are several actions which you can undertake for the decryption of your files. One of those actions is to try using data recovery software which supports the recovery and fixing of hard drives. This procedure may not guarantee the recovery of all of your files, but if it bypasses the changed MBR, it may restore most of them back. It really depends on the situation. Here are several programs that you may want to try out:

Your other option, in case the files stored on your hard drive are not important, is to either try a free data recovery tool with limited features which may not get all the files back or to nuke your hard drive and reinstall windows freshly with free software, like Darik’s Boot and Nuke.

CSGO Malware – Conclusion and Protection

Even though you were infected by downloading cheats for the most played online shooter ever, CS:GO and this is completely unfair and wrong on many levels, we have decided to help you and provide several protection tips on how to secure your data and prevent such accidents from ruining your day:

Sensorstechforum’s Ransomware Protection Tips
Safely Securing Your Data in The Future

Help yourself and be careful. And furthermore, in the future, try not to cheat, it is wrong and weak.

Vencislav Krustev

A network administrator and malware researcher at SensorsTechForum with passion for discovery of new shifts and innovations in cyber security. Strong believer in basic education of every user towards online safety.

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