The Sims 4 has a modding and custom content community that is highly talented and creative and covers various themes and topics in their creations. With hundreds and thousands of different Sims 4 mods aimed at improving and expanding a player’s gameplay experience, there’s no end of possibilities.
However, if you have been keeping up with The Sims 4 community happenings on either Discord or social media over the past few days, you may have seen that there has been some slight cause for caution.
Keep reading to find out more about what happened, how to stay safe and how to keep up to date!
Table of Contents
What Happened with The Sims 4 Mods?
It has come to the attention of Sims 4 Mod users that some mods have suddenly begun to contain malware within them. While this is not pleasant at all for either the creators or players wanting to download the mods, it’s important to be knowledgeable about the situation.
It’s important to keep in mind, that this situation is only impacting a very small number of The Sims 4 Mods and this is due to creators having their account either hacked or impersonated by some rather unpleasant people.
While the community has been working hard to share and update one another during this time, it appears that Mac and Linux-based systems are not impacted by the malware due to the file type used by the malware.
What Mods Have Been Impacted?
Currently, a very small number of mods have been identified as being impacted by this situation. It is only affecting Scrpit-based mods and no custom content.
As shared by both Scarlet’s Realm and the Deaderpool Discord, these are currently the impacted mods containing malware.
- Cult Mod v2 uploaded to ModTheSims by PimpMySims (this is a fake account)
- Social Events – Unlimited Time uploaded to CurseForge by MySims4
- Weather and Forecast Cheat Menu uploaded to The Sims Resource by MSQSIMS (hacked account)
- Seasons Cheats Menu uploaded to The Sims Resource by MSQSIMS (hacked account)
- Motherlode Menu uploaded to The Sims Resource by MSQSIMS (hacked account)
- Mood Cheat Menu uploaded to The Sims Resource by MSQSIMS (hacked account)
- Mouth Preset N16 uploaded to The Sims Resource by PlayersWonderland (hacked account with a script file added to the download that shouldn’t have been there)
- Cult Sex Mod V1 uploaded by UNKNOWN (this mod was previously removed by the original creator (LoversLab 18+) in January)
What Do I Do If I Have Downloaded These Mods?
If you have downloaded any of these mods recently, fear not as there are some steps you can take to check.
- Firstly delete the mod(s) from your mods folder immediately
- Use the Curesforge/Overwolf Sims Virus Cleaner Tool which will look at your mods and custom content and remove any files with issues.
- Use TwistedMexi’s ModGuard: Mod Malware Protection which will alert you to any issues.
- Run a virus/malware scan on your computer/laptop regularly. If you find any impacted files, run a scan immediately.
- Update all passwords on your computer/laptop immediately
- Uninstall Discord and any crypto wallet software you may have installed and only reinstall once there is no trace of any potential malware on your system.
If you have been affected by one of these mods, it’s very important to take this seriously. There is a high risk that your personal data, passwords and information relating to your device will have been impacted. It is strongly advised that you do everything you can to take action, update, and secure any/all accounts you have as soon as you can after the discovery.
Staying Safe
First and foremost, when downloading any Sims 4 mods or custom content, only download it from the creator’s official download locations. This could be via a Patreon for example or their website. However, there are a few more ways you can keep safe when downloading The Sims 4 mods.
- Download and Install the ModGuard: Mod Malware Protection by TwistedMexi
- Download and Install the Curesforge/Overwolf Sims Virus Cleaner Tool
- Only download from creators who you trust
- Don’t download a new update for a mod until the creator directly announces/confirms there is a new update.
- Don’t download mod folders from the internet. You don’t know what could be in those folders and there could be malware hidden within them.
Impacted Platforms and What They Have Done
The following locations are where the impacted mods have been found previously and while they have all removed those impacted, this is the action they have taken.
The Sims Resource
Removed all impacted mods and have shared an additional statement regarding their next steps. They also announced that a temporary ban has been put in place for any uploads containing .ts4script files at the moment.
Read the full statement below:
CurseForge
Removed all impacted mods and released the Sims Virus Cleaner tool that will clean any affected mods. They have since shared that they have taken additional measures to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.
Mod The Sims & LoversLab
Both sites have removed the mods in question but have given no further statement regarding the situation at this moment in time.
Moving Forward
Even if you haven’t been impacted by any of the above-mentioned Sims 4 Mods, you can still take steps to ensure you are running a healthy and happy game. This could be by running regular virus/malware scans on your device and ensuring all your mods are up to date via the creator’s official platforms.
You can find out more about how to ensure a healthy and happy game here.
Also, ensure you utilise the Sims Virus Cleaner Tool on CurseForge alongside TwistedMexi’s ModGuard: Mod Malware Protection Mod. You can download TwistedMexi’s mod here and be sure to read all information regarding the mod first.
Staying Safe
The best way to stay safe during this time is to check for updates from Sims 4 Mods creators directly or via the Deaderpool Discord and Scarelt’s Realm. All three of these methods are highly effective and will give you all the information you need to keep safe and Play with Life!
Thank You
Before we round off this post, we’d like to say thank you to those in the community who have taken the time to share and update other players with information regarding this situation. Your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed and we’re sure, like many are thankful for what you do!
For more about The Sims 4 Mods and Custom Content as well as all the latest news and information from The Sims franchise, stay tuned to Sims Community!
Credits: Deaderpool Discord Server, The Sims Resource & Scarlet’s Realm
