Kaspersky Finds 19 Million Attack Experiments Targeting GTA And The Sims Games

JAKARTA - During the period from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, Kaspersky detected more than 19 million attempts to download malicious files disguised as the popular game Gen Z.

As part of this new report, Kaspersky experts have also conducted an in-depth analysis using the 20 most popular game titles among Gen Z ranging from GTA, NBA, and FIFA to The Sims and Genshin Impact.

The study covers the period from Q2 2024 to Q1 2025, with March 2025 becoming the peak month, which recorded 1,842,370 attempted attacks.

From open world blockbuster games such as GTA to comfortable simulators such as The Sims, cybercriminals target games in every genre Gen Z likes, "said Vasily Kolesnikov, security expert at Kaspersky.

In total, the global cybersecurity company managed to detect 4,456,499 attempted attacks involving files disguised as content related to the GTA franchise.

In addition, Minecraft is in second place, with 4,112,493 attempted attacks. Call of Duty and The Sims followed with 2,635,330 and 2,416,443 attacks respectively.

As a result of the attack, users' devices can be infected with various types of malicious software that can monitor victims' activities, provide long-distance access to attackers, and spread ransomware.

What brings them together are the audience: Gen Z is the most digitally active generation, leaving traces of data, clicking, and curiosity rich. This makes them the main targets," he added.

To play your favorite games safely, Kaspersky recommends the following to Gen Z: