When you run the PB2 Launcher, you probably receive a similar security popup.
Spoiler: Show More
Is the PB2 Launcher a malware?
No. By uploading the PB2 Launcher executable to virustotal, a website popularly known for looking out for common viruses, it does not detect any signs of it being a virus.
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/bda ... /detection
Try it out yourself.
So why does this security popup appear?
Let us first have a basic understanding of executables and malwares.
Executables (.exe) are basically programs, which is able to run on your computer (with the help of your Operating System e.g Windows). The PB2 Launcher is an executable.
Executables can be safe or bad.
Safe executables are normal applications that we use in our day to day lifes like Google Chrome, Powerpoint, Discord, so on so forth.
Bad / dangerous / malicious executables normally exploit a certain security vulnerability and perform damage to your computers, like the infamous WannaCry ransomware.
Virustotal is able to detect common viruses, but it is not foolproof. Certain malicious executables may be able to slip past the scans of virustotal and other similar applications.
Therefore, Windows plays extra safe and only runs executables from a trusted publisher (developer). Windows will only run if the executables is (digitally) signed. This process is called code signing, and Windows requires the executable to be signed from a trusted source.
Code signing an executables have some benefits:
- Ensure that the executable is not modified (integrity)
- Ensure that the executable is indeed from a trusted publisher. (authenticity)
Getting a executable to signed by a trusted source requires money. Therefore, I believe Eric did not get this executable code signed, which results in Windows prompting the security error.
Read the error in the popup, it mentions 'unrecognized app' and 'unknown publisher'.
So when is it safe to run an unsigned .exe?
Unsigned executables means the developer of the executable is not recognised by Windows. It does not mean it is a malware. So ask yourself this, do you trust the developer of the program (i.e Eric Gurt) and the place you are downloading from (i.e https://www.plazmaburst2.com . Yes, "https", not just "http" - extra "s" means that connection is secure and MITM-attacks aren't possible)?
Additional non-important text
If you made it to the end, congratulations in learning a part of cryptography! If you are interested in how does code signing exactly works, you can follow the links under the references. You need to understand how encyption works, asymmetric key encryption, as well as certificate authorities as a prerequisite.
Take care, be well!
References:
https://github.com/godotengine/godot/issues/16235
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_sign ... 0integrity.
https://www.websecurity.digicert.com/se ... ning-works
Best regards,
Nyove