Among Us Always Imposter - Windows 11 Family Safety Question

Hi, I work in tech and I think your concern is valid, but you don’t need to panic or lock his computer down completely.

The issue isn’t really Among Us or even the cheating mod. The issue is that he downloaded a Windows executable from a third-party website. Mods themselves aren’t automatically malware, but they’re basically someone else’s code running on the computer, and some sites bundle adware, password stealers, or crypto miners into the installer.

Windows Defender is actually pretty good, but here’s the important part: it mainly catches known malware. A lot of game mods aren’t known malware, they’re just “unknown software.” So Defender might allow it even though it’s risky. If he saw a blue “Windows protected your PC” popup at some point, that was SmartScreen warning that Microsoft doesn’t trust the file.

Also, these “always imposter” mods typically work by injecting code into the running game’s memory. That behavior looks very similar to how certain malicious programs operate, which is why security people get cautious around them.

Instead of banning everything (which honestly just teaches kids to hide what they’re doing), I’d recommend configuring Windows properly:

1) Turn on SmartScreen protections
Settings → Privacy & Security → Windows Security → App & Browser Control → Reputation-based protection
Turn on:
• Check apps and files
• Potentially unwanted app blocking

This blocks random downloaded .exe files, which is exactly how these mods run.

2) Use Family Safety for approval, not total restriction
In Microsoft Family Safety, enable “require approval for new apps.”
Now when he runs a newly downloaded program, you get a notification and can approve or deny it. This is much more effective than trying to block websites.

3) Check what he installed
Settings → Apps → Installed Apps (sort by install date)
Also look in his Downloads folder. Mods are almost always run from there.
Windows Security → Protection History also shows anything Defender flagged.

A helpful compromise is simply telling him:
“Before you run something you downloaded, show me first.”

You can even upload files together to a Virus Scanner to scan them. Kids who understand why malware is dangerous tend to stop installing random things, and a lot of people who end up in IT actually started by tinkering with game mods.

You don’t need to block games or the internet, just block untrusted executables.


TL;DR:
The mod site is risky because it distributes unsigned programs, not because of the game itself. Defender helps but won’t catch everything. Turn on SmartScreen, require approval for new apps in Family Safety, and review downloads. That protects the computer while still letting him explore technology safely.