Wallpaper Engine Removing 'Application' Wallpapers to Stop Malware

Wallpaper Engine, the popular utility for custom desktop backgrounds, is making a significant change to its Steam Workshop library. In an effort to curb the spread of malware, the development team has announced plans to permanently remove all "application wallpapers" from the platform.

For those unfamiliar with the app, application wallpapers are essentially full Windows executables. While they have been part of the software since its early days to allow for deep customization, they have recently become a security liability. Bad actors have been utilizing these files to distribute malware, which investigators at Kaspersky found was designed to hijack user machines and steal Steam login credentials.

The Risks of .exe Files on the Workshop

The development team noted that while the number of affected users was "tiny" due to existing safeguards, the public panic caused by media reports made it clear that the status quo was no longer sustainable. "We want everyone to feel completely safe using Wallpaper Engine, and keeping application wallpapers around is simply no longer compatible with that goal," the team stated.

The risk is not just limited to current uploads. The developers explained that they cannot prevent creators from updating existing Workshop items. If a creator’s account were to be hacked, a malicious actor could push a harmful update to a previously safe wallpaper. Because of this loophole, the team concluded that a complete removal of application-based content is the only way to ensure the safety of the wider user base.

What This Means for You

If you use these types of wallpapers, you have a limited window to secure your files. The team is offering a grace period for users to locally back up any application wallpapers they wish to keep before the update rolls out "in the next week."

It is worth noting that for the vast majority of users, this change will go unnoticed. According to the developers, application wallpapers account for merely 0.5% of the total library. Furthermore, the feature is hidden by default within the application, meaning most users likely never interacted with these files to begin with. As part of this push for a more secure environment, the team is also conducting a wider cleanup of the Steam Workshop.

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