In a recent cybersecurity breach, a covert hacker group has targeted Call of Duty gamers who cheat, leading to the theft of Bitcoin from the unwary players. The sophisticated malware has impacted a vast quantity of players, and continuous reports suggest a growing victim count. Some affected users were employing the game’s software for genuine enhancements like reducing latency and utilizing VPNs, but they too fell prey to the cyber theft.
Investigation Reveals Broad Sweep of Data Theft
Investigations initiated by the cheat code vendor PhantomOverlay, due to abnormal purchase activities, uncovered the malware designed to steal user information. Other cheat code providers have also acknowledged attacks on their communities. The extent of personal data compromised by the hackers is extensive, with some users reporting losses from their Electrum Bitcoin wallets. While the exact amount of stolen cryptocurrency remains undisclosed, game developer Activision Blizzard is reportedly working alongside cheat providers to support the victims.
The scale of the breach is massive, with current reports indicating that over 3.6 million Battlenet, 561 thousand Activision, and 117 thousand Elite PVPers accounts have been compromised. However, PhantomOverlay has raised doubts about these figures, hinting that the actual numbers could be overstated. The ongoing investigations hope to clarify the extent of the damage.
Not the First Time Gamers Have Been Targeted
This is not the first instance of gaming platforms being exploited for malicious purposes. Hackers have previously masked malware as cheat codes for other popular games, such as Fortnite, to hijack Bitcoin wallet information. Notably, Fortnite’s player base experienced similar cyber assaults in the years 2018 and 2019, underscoring the consistent danger hackers pose to the gaming population worldwide.
This incident sheds light on the ongoing conflict where cybercriminals exploit game vulnerabilities to financially exploit cheating players, revealing a darker side of the gaming industry’s technological battles.