February 14, 2026
Unzip drama, not malware
7zip.com Is Serving Malware
Fake 7‑Zip site hijacks PCs — YouTube blamed, 7‑Zip dev grilled
TLDR: A fake-looking 7-Zip site allegedly shipped a legit-looking installer with hidden proxyware that uses your PC for someone else’s internet traffic. Commenters roasted YouTube tutorials for bad links, argued over 7‑Zip’s lack of clear verification, and clashed with users claiming the files matched—raising alarms about trust and search confusion.
A panicked PC builder’s “I’m so sick to my stomach” post lit up Reddit after they grabbed 7‑Zip from look‑alike 7zip.com instead of the real 7‑Zip site. Researchers say the installer looked legit and was even signed, but quietly planted proxyware that turns your PC into someone else’s internet on‑ramp—so attackers can monetize your bandwidth while the normal app still works. Microsoft Defender eventually squealed, but only after nearly two weeks of silent freeloading.
The comments? Pure chaos. One camp roasted YouTube tutorials for pointing viewers to the wrong domain, with one zinger: “nothing good ever comes from youtube tutorials.” Another camp dragged 7‑Zip’s developer over long‑running complaints about not digitally signing releases or publishing obvious verification checks, arguing this whole mess is what happens when trust is fuzzy. Meanwhile, fact‑checkers jumped in: one user compared downloads and claimed they were “byte‑for‑byte identical,” sparking a who‑to‑believe brawl. Others blamed confusing domain practices and search results that mix legit and shady look‑alikes.
Jokes flew fast: “Never Google and click the first link” got meme‑ified, the WinRAR gang popped up to smirk, and one commenter dubbed it the “Installer that Installs Roommates”—because now your computer’s hosting strangers. The internet agrees on one thing: check the domain, every time.
Key Points
- •A lookalike domain, 7zip.com, distributed a trojanized 7‑Zip installer that installs a hidden residential proxy payload.
- •The installer was Authenticode‑signed with a now‑revoked certificate issued to Jozeal Network Technology Co., Limited.
- •Malware components (Uphero.exe, hero.exe, hero.dll) are dropped into C:\Windows\SysWOW64\hero\ and persist as System services.
- •The malware alters Windows Firewall via netsh, profiles hosts via WMI/Windows APIs, and communicates with iplogger.org.
- •An independent update channel at update.7zip.com enables payload updates separate from the installer.