- Call of Duty and other Activision Blizzard gamers who used cheat software had their Bitcoin stolen by targeted malware. Over 49 million accounts may be affected.
- Cybersecurity firm VX Underground reported the hack but does not yet know how the malware was delivered to users’ computers.
- The attack shows the danger of unauthorized software and phishing schemes, which can quickly drain crypto wallets when users’ guards are down.
Call of Duty players seeking out third-party cheat software were among the victims of a targeted phishing attack, according to cybersecurity firm VX Underground. The attack also targeted players of Activision Blizzard games like World of Warcraft who used “pay-to-cheat” software.
Malware Targets Cheaters, Steals Bitcoin
The cheat software installed crypto-drainer malware onto users’ computers. This malware could then access information and steal coins from Bitcoin wallets.
Over 49 million accounts may be affected, including Call of Duty, Battlenet, Activision, and ElitePVPers users. The malware specifically targeted Electrum Bitcoin wallets.
VX Underground said Activision Blizzard is coordinating with cheat providers to aid impacted users. Providers like PhantomOverlay and UnknownCheats had hundreds of thousands of compromised accounts.
Hackers’ Delivery Method Still Unknown
At the time of writing, VX Underground still does not know how hackers delivered the malware. Traditionally, malware spreads via malicious websites, phishing emails, or messages that install programs when clicked.
Other forms of malware drain wallets after users unknowingly sign a transaction in their browser wallet, granting the hackers access.
On Tuesday, the Bitcoin Ordinals founder said they were the victim of a wallet drainer phishing attack. The thieves stole 147 BTC and 4 BTC worth of Ordinals NFTs.
Conclusion
This phishing scheme targeting gamers shows how dangerous unauthorized software can be to crypto users. Malware intrusions can quickly drain wallets when users let their guard down.
