Dear Platinians,
over the years, it’s become clear that VirusTotal is increasingly relied upon to judge whether mods are safe. Many users check mods there and get worried by detections - even when the mod is actually clean. This article explains why that approach is unreliable, how to interpret VirusTotal results, and outlines the PMT protocols for real safety.
Examples and Explanations of Useless Detections:
VirusTotal is a tool, not a guarantee. Understand its limitations - for mods, false positives come from how AV engines work, not from real danger. Platinmods own vetting systems and community trust remain the best protection.
over the years, it’s become clear that VirusTotal is increasingly relied upon to judge whether mods are safe. Many users check mods there and get worried by detections - even when the mod is actually clean. This article explains why that approach is unreliable, how to interpret VirusTotal results, and outlines the PMT protocols for real safety.
Platinmods Guarantees
- Mods made by our own team - whether PMT Modder or Approved Modder - are always clean, regardless of what VirusTotal shows.
- Mods shared in the forum that display a “tested” label have been checked by our dedicated team and are 99.9% clean, even if some detections appear. The 0.01% margin is kept open just in case of human error.
- Untested mods, or mods outside of Platinmods, require extra caution. In these cases, VirusTotal is rarely definitive and hands-on, technical testing (like on an emulator) is more reliable for non-experts.
Interpreting VirusTotal Results
Misunderstandings around VirusTotal stem from how antivirus companies work and how mods are made.- Heuristic and Signature Bias: VirusTotal groups many antivirus engines, most of which are designed to flag anything outside the norm - including mods - as dangerous by default. Mods often alter the app’s structure, permissions, or internal files, using methods that resemble those found in malware. This triggers many “generic” or “agent” detections, even when the mod is clean.
- Commercial Interests and False Positives: Some antivirus vendors profit from aggressive detection policies. They get paid to label more programs as risky, sometimes to satisfy third-party interests that want mods perceived as dangerous. This creates more false positives, fueling fear rather than genuine security.
- Detection Spread: If only 10 out of 60 engines detect an issue, ask yourself: is the mod really a threat, or are those engines just strict, while the others use smarter, contextual scanning? If a file were truly malicious, 50 out of 60 should flag it - not the opposite.
- Anti-Leeching Protections: Modders encode or encrypt files to protect their work from leechers (people stealing/copying mods). Because antivirus scanners can’t “see through” these defenses, they label anything unreadable as suspicious - even if it’s just protective obfuscation.
- Generic Detections Are Not Proof: If you see broad flags like “Agent” or “PUP,” it means the scanner found something unknown, not that it’s malware. These results lack specifics, so they’re very likely false positives.
Examples and Explanations of Useless Detections:
Antivirus | Detection Name | Meaning/Notes |
|---|---|---|
AhnLab-V3 | PUP/Android.Malct.1297135 | Potentially unwanted program, not unique to malware |
ESET-NOD32 | Variant Of Android/Agent.DEK | Generic "Agent" for suspicious changes |
Fortinet | Android/Agent.JDU!tr | Generic agent, typical on mods |
Google | Detected | Google's automated mod blocking |
Ikarus | Trojan.AndroidOS.Agent | Anything unknown or custom is flagged |
K7GW | Trojan ( 005a45a91 ) | Signature-based generic detection |
Trellix ENS | Artemis!CC13BCB2C04F | Heuristic detection (not specific malware) |
Avast | Android:Agent-FOZ [Trj] | Generic agent/trick flagged for modified apps |
AVG | Agent.AI | Broad suspicious category, not unique to malware |
Avira | HEUR/Android.Packer | Heuristic or packing/obfuscation detection |
Bitdefender | Gen:Android.Trojan.Agent.XX | "Gen" means generic, not app-specific |
Kaspersky | HEUR:Trojan.AndroidOS.Generic | Heuristic generic detection for any unknown changes |
Microsoft | Trojan:AndroidOS/Agent | Very broad category used for repackaged apps |
Symantec | Android.Trojan.Gen | "Gen" is generic, used for non-classified threats |
TrendMicro | TROJ_GEN.R002C0WGH19 | Gen stands for generic composite detection |
McAfee | Artemis!E88B23DD3445 | Artemis: heuristic engine, often false positives |
Bkav | W.AIDMalware | Very broad, flagged for suspicious activity |
MaxSecure | TrojanalwareXXXXXusgen | Usgen means "User Generated"/Generic |
G Data | Android.Trojan.Generic | Generic category, not unique to malware |
Best Practices for Safety
- Trust mods from the PMT/Approved team or labelled as “tested” - they’re verified beyond what any scan can do.
- Don’t panic if VirusTotal shows detections for a clean mod, especially if the detections are generic and from engines known for false positives.
- When unsure, use a separate environment (like an Android emulator) for first-run testing, especially for untested mods.
- Community feedback and forum reputation are often better indicators of safety than automated scans. Don't you think people would spam a thread if them devices go crazy after using the mod?
VirusTotal is a tool, not a guarantee. Understand its limitations - for mods, false positives come from how AV engines work, not from real danger. Platinmods own vetting systems and community trust remain the best protection.