Malware Strikes Call Of Duty Cheaters
In an unexpected twist, hackers have launched a devious cyberattack targeting Call of Duty cheaters. These cybercriminals have unleashed malware aimed at pilfering their Bitcoin holdings. This malicious move has sent shockwaves through both the gaming and cryptocurrency communities.
The attack, as reported by CoinDesk, has affected numerous players with the number of victims steadily increasing. It’s worth noting that not all impacted individuals were actually cheaters; some were innocently using legitimate gaming tools.
Users of “PhantomOverlay,” a provider of Call of Duty cheat codes, brought attention to the issue after noticing unauthorized transactions. Other cheat providers like “Elite PVPers” have also reported similar breaches recently.
The cyberattack has compromised various data, including login credentials and the contents of Electrum wallets. The precise amount of stolen cryptocurrency remains unknown at this time.
Activision Blizzard, now under Microsoft’s ownership, the developer of the popular Call of Duty franchise, is working hand in hand with cheat code providers to assist affected gamers. The current count of hacked accounts stands at over 3.6 million Battlenet, 561,000 Activision, and 117,000 Elite PVPers accounts.
PhantomOverlay has rejected the reported figures, labeling them as “inflated” in a recent message on Telegram. This incident is part of a broader trend where game cheaters come under fire from exploiters, echoing similar events in the Fortnite community in 2018 and 2019.
Significance of the Attack: The strategic targeting of Call of Duty cheaters by hackers marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle against cyber threats within the gaming realm. This incident doesn’t stand alone; it mirrors a growing wave of cyberattacks spanning through the gaming and cryptocurrency sectors. 2023 recorded a surge in cryptocurrency phishing scams, resulting in $295 million stolen from approximately 324,000 victims.
Furthermore, incidents such as the fake Ledger Live app scam on the Microsoft App Store, which led to the theft of $590K in Bitcoin, underscore the susceptibility of users to sophisticated phishing schemes. In 2023, North Korea-linked hackers made headlines for absconding with over $1 billion in crypto assets, setting a bleak record for cryptocurrency platform breaches.