{"rewrite":{"id":"r_1ad96f7d39903acca190adc5","clusterId":"c_745dd0ab285cb1a2df55590c","slug":"wallpaper-engine-to-remove-application-type-wallpapers-after-malware-reports","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Wallpaper Engine To Remove Application-Type Wallpapers After Malware Reports","summary":"The Wallpaper Engine Team announced on June 30 that it will delete all application-type wallpapers from the Steam Workshop within about a week, following reports of malware in the format. The decision comes after cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reported on June 16 that dozens of application-type wallpapers on the Steam Workshop contained malware, with each downloaded thousands or tens of thousands of times. Application-type wallpapers, which allow creators to run executable (.exe) files as wallpapers, account for only 0.5% of all wallpapers on the platform, and the number of affected users is very small. The team explained that the application type was a legacy feature from the software's early development, inspired by Android sideloading, and was hidden by default with a warning screen. Development has since progressed with built-in editors and SceneScript, a JavaScript-based language that can handle events like time and mouse clicks, making custom executables unnecessary. The team stated that the risks of maintaining the application type now outweigh its benefits. Users who wish to keep their application-type wallpapers can back them up locally before the deletion. The removal applies only to the Steam Workshop; users can still create application-type wallpapers on their own.","whyItMatters":"The removal of a legacy feature used by less than half a percent of wallpapers shows how a single security report can force a developer to shutter a core design philosophy from the software's early access era.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe Wallpaper Engine Team announced the removal on June 30, with the deletion scheduled to begin during the week of July 5. As part of the transition, most application-type wallpapers will first be set to \u0026#34;friends-only\u0026#34; visibility before being permanently removed from the Steam Workshop.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe team explained that the Steam Workshop lacks a feature to lock item updates, meaning a creator whose account is hijacked could push a malicious update to a previously safe wallpaper. The developer added that such account hijacking for malicious updates has not actually occurred, but it is a theoretical risk that factored into the decision.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026#34;We want everyone to feel completely safe using Wallpaper Engine,\u0026#34; the team stated in the announcement. The software entered early access on Steam in 2016 and officially released in 2018. It has approximately 2.8 million registered wallpapers on the Workshop at the time of writing, with peak concurrent users reaching around 130,000 according to SteamDB.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe team described the original application-type feature as a \u0026#34;naive assumption\u0026#34; in retrospect. The format was inspired by Android sideloading, designed to give knowledgeable users maximum freedom with a non-skippable warning screen and default hiding from searches. Since the current tool can create most expressions using its built-in editors and SceneScript, the team concluded that the application type is no longer necessary.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Wallpaper Engine is removing all application-type wallpapers from the Steam Workshop after Kaspersky found dozens containing malware. The feature, used by 0.5% of wallpapers, was a legacy from early development inspired by Android sideloading.","twitterPost":"The Wallpaper Engine Team says the Steam Workshop lacks a feature to lock item updates, making it impossible to keep safe application-type wallpapers after the malware reports. Users have about a week to back up their files.","threadsPost":"Wallpaper Engine is removing all application-type wallpapers from Steam Workshop after Kaspersky found malware in some. The feature accounted for 0.5% of total wallpapers. Users have one week to back up files. The move sets a precedent for how Workshop moderation may shift when old features are abused.","newsletterBlurb":"Wallpaper Engine will delete all application-type wallpapers from the Steam Workshop within a week, following Kaspersky's report of malware in dozens of such wallpapers. The feature, used by less than half a percent of wallpapers, was a legacy from the software's early development. Users can back up their files locally before the removal.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260701-452829/\",\"title\":\"Steam popular wallpaper software 'Wallpaper Engine' official to purge wallpaper types reported to contain malware. Old feature with low usage removed due to abuse.\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/02/168701.html\",\"title\":\"Veteran PC Wallpaper Tool 'Wallpaper Engine' to Remove Wallpaper Types with Malware Contamination Reports from Workshop\"},{\"source\":\"GameBusiness.jp\",\"url\":\"https://www.gamebusiness.jp/article/2026/07/02/27375.html\",\"title\":\"Veteran PC Wallpaper Tool 'Wallpaper Engine' to Remove Wallpaper Types with Malware Risk from Workshop\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":12402,"outputTokens":1326,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1782901977,"createdAt":"2026-07-01T10:21:57.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-07-01T10:24:50.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-01T10:24:50.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_745dd0ab285cb1a2df55590c","canonicalTitle":"Steam人気壁紙ソフト『Wallpaper Engine』公式、“マルウェア入り壁紙”が報告された壁紙タイプを一掃へ。利用率わずかの旧機能、悪用を受け撤廃","representativeArticleId":"a_126eb2ed30f532f8b290f5ac","sourceCount":3,"writtenSourceCount":3,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Wallpaper Engine\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"other\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"written","firstSeenAt":"2026-07-01T09:39:18.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-07-02T11:15:03.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-02T11:35:41.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260701-452829/","title":"Steam人気壁紙ソフト『Wallpaper Engine』公式、“マルウェア入り壁紙”が報告された壁紙タイプを一掃へ。利用率わずかの旧機能、悪用を受け撤廃"},{"source":"GameBusiness.jp","url":"https://www.gamebusiness.jp/article/2026/07/02/27375.html","title":"老舗PC壁紙ツール『Wallpaper Engine』マルウェア混入報告の壁紙タイプをワークショップから排除する方針へ"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/02/168701.html","title":"老舗PC壁紙ツール『Wallpaper Engine』マルウェア混入報告の壁紙タイプをワークショップから排除する方針へ"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Wallpaper Engine"],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"news","domain":"other","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["The Wallpaper Engine Team announced on June 30 that it will delete all application-type wallpapers from the Steam Workshop within about a week, following reports of malware in the format.","Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky reported on June 16 that dozens of application-type wallpapers on the Steam Workshop contained malware, with each downloaded thousands or tens of thousands of times.","Application-type wallpapers account for only 0.5% of all wallpapers on the platform, and the number of affected users is very small.","The team explained that the application type was a legacy feature from the software's early development, inspired by Android sideloading, and was hidden by default with a warning screen.","Users who wish to keep their application-type wallpapers can back them up locally before the deletion."]}