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This was a real but historical security incident, not a new 2026 outbreak. An unauthorized update to the Traffic code mod for Cities: Skylines II delivered a malicious DLL through Paradox Mods between October 28 and October 31, 2024. Paradox later determined that the file used DLL hijacking to target information associated with Exodus cryptocurrency wallets.
If you used the mod during that period, check the cached files, run a complete malware scan, change important passwords, and treat any Exodus wallet on that PC as potentially exposed.
What happened
The affected mod was Traffic, a code mod that adds traffic-management tools to Cities: Skylines II. Paradox said the mod author’s account was compromised and an unauthorized update included a malicious .dll file.
Players could receive the update through Paradox Mods’ automatic synchronization. The important distinction is between downloading the mod and executing it: the malicious DLL was loaded when Cities: Skylines II launched with the compromised mod installed. That does not mean every subscriber was infected, but anyone who ran the game with the affected version may have been exposed.
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The exposure period began around October 28, 2024. Paradox removed the malicious upload and said a safe replacement was available by October 31, 2024, at 15:35 CET. The safe version identified in the initial notice was v0.2.4. See Paradox’s Traffic Breach Statement for the publisher’s full chronology.
What Paradox ultimately found
Paradox initially described the uploaded file as potentially malicious. In updates on November 4 and November 7, it said the suspicion was confirmed and identified the file as fastmath.dll.
According to Paradox, the attack used DLL hijacking. A second stage searched the local AppData directory for Exodus wallet information. The publisher described the target as Exodus cryptocurrency-wallet information; it did not report a confirmed amount of cryptocurrency stolen.
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Paradox said that, as of its investigation, no other Paradox Mods content appeared to contain the same malicious file. That means this incident should not be treated as evidence that all Cities: Skylines II mods, all traffic mods, or the entire Paradox Mods platform was compromised.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteParadox’s November 4 update said 30 of 72 security vendors detected the file at that point. The publisher also said it had scanned other uploaded files, worked with the mod author to secure the account, and engaged IT and digital-forensics teams.
How to check your Cities: Skylines II files
On Windows, inspect the game’s subscribed-mod cache at:
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%localappdata%lowColossal OrderCities Skylines II.cacheModsmods_subscribedLook for this folder:
80095_13Paradox identified that folder as corresponding to the compromised cached version. If it is missing, the compromised copy was not found in that location. That is useful evidence, but it is not proof that the computer is clean.
What to do if you may have used the affected version
- Stop launching the game with the old mod installed until the computer has been checked.
- Use an up-to-date antivirus or antimalware product to quarantine or remove detected files. Do not delete arbitrary DLLs from the game directory.
- Run a thorough scan of all relevant drives. Removing the Traffic mod only removes the original mod file; it does not prove that no secondary file was created or that no wallet information was accessed.
- Change important passwords, particularly for email, banking, password managers, cryptocurrency services, and other accounts used on the PC. Use a separate trusted device if possible.
- Secure any cryptocurrency wallets or exchange accounts used on the computer. The official finding concerned Exodus, but other sensitive accounts used on a potentially compromised machine deserve attention too.
- Follow official Exodus security guidance before restoring a wallet backup or continuing to use a wallet from the affected computer.
The Exodus-related file path
In its final update, Paradox gave this path for an additional Exodus-related DLL:
C:Users<Username>AppDataLocalexodusapp-<VersionNumber>profapi.dllParadox instructed users with an Exodus wallet to delete that secondary file manually. Treat this as a targeted, publisher-provided instruction: do not delete similarly named DLLs from unrelated folders. If the file is present, use updated security software and official Exodus guidance as part of the cleanup rather than relying on manual deletion alone.
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Who was likely at risk?
- Probably not exposed: people who never subscribed to, downloaded, or played with Traffic. Paradox said users who had neither subscribed to nor downloaded the mod faced no risk from this incident.
- Lower likelihood of exposure: people who had Traffic installed but did not launch Cities: Skylines II between October 28 and October 31, 2024. Downloading alone is not the same as executing the DLL, although a scan remains sensible.
- Potentially exposed: people whose copy synchronized during the affected period and who launched the game with that version installed.
- Higher-concern case: potentially exposed players who had Exodus installed or stored locally. They should complete the full malware and account-security checklist rather than assuming the absence of obvious symptoms means they are safe.
If you updated the mod after October 31, the safe replacement may have removed the affected file. However, that does not undo any earlier execution, so prior use during the exposure window still matters.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was Cities: Skylines II itself infected?
Paradox said the unmodified game was safe to play after the affected mod was removed and the system checked. The game executable was used to load the malicious mod DLL, but the publisher did not say that the normal base-game installation or a standard game update was infected.
The practical distinction is important: this was a compromised mod upload, not evidence that every installation of Cities: Skylines II was malicious. Players should still scan a machine that executed the affected mod.
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Why code mods carry different risks
Cities: Skylines II supports code mods that integrate with the game’s systems and can add or change functionality. Paradox explains that model in its code-modding documentation.
A code mod is not automatically unsafe, and this incident does not justify treating every mod author as untrustworthy. But executable components have a larger security impact than inert maps, textures, or decorative assets. A malicious code mod can run in the context of a game launch, while a platform account compromise can make a previously trusted update dangerous.
Platform scanning reduces risk but cannot guarantee that every evolving threat will be detected. Paradox acknowledged that its mod-scanning tools could not provide complete protection against new or changing malware. Keep security software updated, be cautious with unexpected mod changes, and avoid assuming that an integrated mod platform makes executable downloads risk-free.
Current status
This was a late-October and early-November 2024 incident. It should not be presented as evidence of a new active malware campaign in 2026. The continuing advice applies to anyone who still has an old installation, cached mod files, wallet data, or backups from a PC that may have executed the compromised Traffic version.
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