Many gamers looking for third-party cheat software to gain a competitive edge in popular titles like Call of Duty (COD), Diablo, and World of Warcraft (WoW) have had their Electrum Bitcoin wallets drained by malware.
This malware campaign, orchestrated by an unidentified actor, potentially affected over 4.9 million gaming accounts across various platforms, info security firm VX Underground said on Wednesday. The exact amount of funds stolen from users is unknown at this time.
On Thursday, TechCrunch said the malware was first uncovered by COD cheat software developer “Zeebler,” who warned gamers about the threat.
“The scope of the impact is so large, and in a bizarre twist of fate, Activision Blizzard is coordinating with cheat providers to aid users impacted by the massive infostealer campaign,” VX Underground said on X (formerly Twitter).
About 4.9 Million Gaming Accounts at Risk
According to VX Underground, the crypto-swiping malware may have impacted 561,183 Activision accounts, 3,662,627 million Battle.net accounts, 117,366 ElitePVPers accounts, 572,831 UnknownCheats accounts, and 1,365 PhantomOverlay accounts.
“When Elite PVPers was approached by PhantomOverlay administrative staff about the compromised accounts, Elite PVPers confirmed they have identified 40,000+ valid user accounts compromised,” VX Underground said. “These are seemingly freshly stolen credentials and are not present from previous publicly available credential dumps.”
VX Underground noted that not all victims of the malware attack were seeking cheat software for games. Some were using “software for latency improvement (?), VPNs, and Controller Boosting software.”
A source told TechCrunch that Activision Blizzard is trying to “help remove the malware” and is “working on identifying and remediating player accounts for anyone affected.” Meanwhile, Activision spokesperson Delany Simmons told the news outlet that the company’s servers “remain secure and uncompromised.”
It isn’t uncommon for hackers to target gamers with compromised software. In June 2023, Cyble Research & Intelligence Labs said threat actors are using trojanized versions of Super Mario Bros. 3 to spread crypto miners and steal information.
Safety Tips for Gamers
In light of this incident, Simmons warned about the risks of using third-party apps and advised gamers to activate two-factor authentication on their accounts for an additional layer of security. Activision Blizzard’s spokesperson also recommends changing your passwords across your accounts if you suspect you may have been affected.
With highly anticipated games like Grand Theft Auto 6 on the horizon, cybersecurity experts say the gaming sector will continue to attract hackers and scammers. We recommend exercising caution when searching for gaming software; only download software from trusted sources. Also, learn how to spot signs of phishing.
For protection against malware software, we strongly recommend getting a premium antivirus solution like Norton 360. This top-rated antivirus has a history of offering robust protection against viruses, malware, phishing, and other cyber threats.
Have a look at our article on the most malware-infected games of 2024 to boost your cybersecurity awareness.
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