DirectX is a set of libraries necessary for games to work on Windows. Having the latest version of DirectX allows us to make better use of computer resources and new technologies, so that we can enjoy PC games much more. These libraries generally tend to update automatically when we install a new game on the computer, although we can also update them by hand in case of using an old version. However, we must be careful in case of doing it by hand, since it is very easy to end up falling into the clutches of hackers.
It is very common to find web pages that allow us to download all kinds of software on the computer but, in reality, they are fake websites. These pages are usually found in the advertisements of many websites, or we can also see them in links from websites with bad intentions. What is usually rare is to find these websites in the top positions of search engines, such as Google. But this time, the hackers have succeeded.
Fake DirectX 12 download with malware
In recent days, a fake website, directx12download , has gained positions in search engines, such as Google, until it is placed in the second position of the search engine, just below the well-known FileHorse page.
This page, initially, offers us to download the latest version of DirectX 12 to our computer. The page apparently looks legitimate. By clicking on the links that appear in it, it will take us to a server, from which we will download a compressed file, whose name may vary. But if we analyze the file with an engine like VirusTotal, we will find surprises like this or this one .
This threat, discovered by a security researcher, is a malware designed to steal user data, such as cookies, files, system information or the list of installed programs. You can also take screenshots to know what the user is doing at all times. But the malware also has another objective: to steal the cryptocurrencies that users keep on the PC. This is compatible with all types of wallets, and is capable of recognizing the most popular cryptocurrencies, such as Ledger Live, Waves.Exchange, Coinomi, Electrum, Electron Cash, BTCP Electrum, Jaxx, Exodus, MultiBit HD, Aomtic or Monero, among others. .
All the collected information is saved in a compressed file, inside a temporary folder, and sent back to the hackers.
Download DirectX safely
DirectX is completely free. Therefore, there is no need to complicate looking for links on strange websites to download the component. Whenever we are going to need it (for example, when downloading a game) the latest version will be installed, or at least the one that the game needs, to work. Therefore, we should not worry about it, since we will always have the version that we need to play.
We can easily check the installed version of DX by executing the command “dxdiag” in the Windows 10 search engine.
Even so, if we want to download and install DirectX by hand, we can do it from this Microsoft website .