Virtual Machines are not a good way to test if something has malware. Most viruses are programmed to not do anything if they detect that they're being ran in a VM.
Yes but in a VM you have to make sure you PASSTHROUGH a GPU. Maybe OP can execute games by another user without privileges. Like execute app as not admin, or user.
I would add increasing the UAC or just not using an admin account, if your on windows, is also a very effective way to keep yourself safe as it will prevent a lot of malicious programs from automatically elevating their permissions.
Well, first of all you really should not be using Windows 7 anymore. For the TPB, I don't think they check the torrents, anyone can upload so it's not a trusted source. It's in the unsafe sites list on the megathread. And how would you know that you never had a malware on the TPB?
I stopped using win 7 2 years go when I got a new PC (I know it was late, but I never needed it before). So even the ones in the megathread are unsafe?
Not really. They are safe, specially the ones marked with a goat sign.
Though that said, i HIGHLY recommend setting up the security tips mentioned at the top of the megathread. As a casual pirate, they've been more than enough for me.
do you mean this "Not so fast sailor! Do this first" suggestions, like using VPN and such? (witch is useless where I live, I never heard of any legal troubles tbh)
Yes and No. You should be able to set some GroupPolicies, and execute games by that type of policies like Application Guard. (Search GPO).
Application Guard is a security feature that isolates untrusted applications in a separate container, so if an attacker does manage to exploit a vulnerability, they’ll be contained and prevented from doing any further damage.