Private Server Safety Checklist

The client download is untrusted software that must pass malware and privilege checks, and account-access hygiene needs to be in place before you log in.

Download First, Trust Later

Private servers can alter their copy of the game, porting in content from other games, adding extra features, or changing game balance. There is no official standard for how this is done.

Installers and launchers that would help a legitimate business distribute its software can expose the player to unnecessary risk. A client or launcher from an unverified source carries a higher danger of malware than something downloadable directly from the private server’s own website. This can include credential theft from your computer.

In 2022 Avast found a password-stealing trojan spreading on Discord under the pretense of being a private Fortnite server; TikTok videos told victims to disable their antivirus before downloading it.

Discord is a popular messaging platform, especially for gaming. Users should be particularly vigilant to check the authenticity of a private game server endorsement, and never trust a scheme that recommends disabling antivirus protection.

Before You Install Anything

The main risk at the download stage is a malicious client pretending to look like a trusted launcher. Once you approve an installer’s request for admin access, it can do almost anything on your system. A good masquerade lets malicious software slip through, which makes it possible for the payload to arrive later.

F-Secure defines a trojan-downloader as software that downloads extra, malicious files from a remote server, installs them on the computer, and then executes them. Downloading without checking who you are connected to is a high-risk way to catch something unwanted, especially at the behest of an elevated installer. Reddit users caution to look for a direct link from a long-running and verified server of good standing instead of a random download source.

Lock the Account Before You Join

When setting up a new account on an untrusted network, use a password manager to create one that is long and unique. As Duke University warns, password reuse multiplies the risk of account compromise and makes stolen credentials more damaging. Password managers help you keep the record clean.

Duke Information Security also advises on multi-factor authentication when it is offered, as an extra block on criminal activity, though it was not clear how widely MFA is offered or if it is, for any accounts to private servers. Microsoft ties the risk of password reuse directly to the risk of account compromise and recommends using a password manager, meaning it supports the account-security model embodied by Duke’s advice.

Red Flags That Should Stop The Install

As well as account access, here is a check-list of what to look out for in a bad client:

• Looks for you to turn off antivirus
• Refers you to an obscured channel such as a Discord inbox to which you are asked to connect
• Attempts a privilege escalation, or makes an implication that in order to install there must be elevated permissions
• Seems to want more privileges than it describes needing for a game client

Just because a file is free does not mean it is safe.

So Is It Safe To Play?

The practical answer is: a private-server client should first be approached as an untrusted client, and let through only after it passes tests for unwanted behaviour. It is unwise to let software escalate what it can do, and there should be no account interconnectedness between official and alternative accounts.