Beware of fake Windows 11 installers that can install malware on your computer: How to stay safe online

Windows 11 installers: With Windows 11 just around the corner, users are excited to get their hands on the new OS version quicker than everyone else, and this is putting them at risk. Cybercriminals have set out to take advantage of this excitement among users, and have floated out fake Windows 11 installers which are actually riddled with malware, as per cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. Installing the Windows 11 update from an unverified source could lead to users falling prey to a fake installer, leading to their computer having malicious software.

The cybersecurity company explained that the attackers are fooling users by putting in extra programs with the “Windows 11” update or are posting malware that have file names looking just like that of an update. One executable malicious file that is doing rounds was cited by Kaspersky – 86307_windows 11 build 21996.1 x64 + activator.exe. Its name makes the 1.75 GB file look legitimate, however most of this space is one DLL file containing useless information. Running the executable file leads to the installer starting to run, and this installer looks just like an ordinary installation wizard on Windows.