Geekom admits to shipping malware-laced network drivers for AMD mini PCs — company responds with guidance, removes malicious package
Geekom admits to shipping malware-laced network drivers for AMD mini-PCs — maker requests takedown of report on the situation
Geekom, a company that manufactures mini-PCs, has admitted to shipping network drivers for its range of A7, A8, AE7, AE8, AX7 Pro and AX8 Pro mini-PCs that contained malware. The Asruex backdoor malware was discovered by Videocardz, and the malicious software would grant the attackers administrator-level permissions, allowing them to steal data, intercept keystrokes or retrieve passwords.
Geekom removed the software package from its legacy page, which was already replaced and no longer accessible through the normal Support navigation. However, many users may have obtained the driver from Google or AI search, bypassing Geekom's support menus. The company has apologized for the incident and requested that Videocardz retract its reporting, which Videocardz refused to do.
The malware was confirmed by four separate detection engines, including VirusTotal, FileScan.IO, MetaDefender, and Yarafy. The incident highlights the importance of obtaining software from trusted sources, such as Windows Update, and exercising caution when downloading drivers from manufacturers' websites.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Hardware's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
