Fake Windows 11 installers come with malware
Despite the minimal improvements and changes it will bring, the upcoming Windows 11 release still proved to be interesting enough for some people to want to get their hands on it. Of course, Microsoft limits the availability of the pre-release version of the software to a select few testers. On occasions like these, people tend to try outsmarting the system by acquiring installers from other sources. Unsurprisingly, these Windows 11 installers not only do not work, but they also bring with them all kinds of unwanted and potentially harmful software.
Windows 11 is pretty much still built on top of Windows 10 and isn't a clear break away from it. That said, there are quite a few new features and aesthetic changes that make it interesting for Windows users of all levels. And some want to get their hands on a build right now, months before the official release date.
Some people want a copy of Windows 11 to recreate those cool experiments that put the OS on unsupported devices like the Raspberry Pi or even some Android phones. Others simply want to poke at it to see what lies under the hood. Still, others want to test their software against the upcoming version but without having to go through the Windows Insiders program.
Whatever the reason, some users have started hunting for Windows 11 installers all over the Web. Unfortunately, Kaspersky reveals that a great number of these sources offer what looks like a "cracked" Windows 11 installer that doesn't install Windows 11 at all. Instead, these installers, which politely ask for admin privileges, download and install other programs.
These other programs range from annoying adware to Trojans and all sorts of malware. Of course, Kasperksy says that its antivirus software has already defeated several infection attempts from these. Suffice it to say, given how "raw" Windows 11 is at this point, anyway, it is not worth the risk of infecting your Windows 10 PC just to get a taste of something that might change drastically in just a few months.