Activision is reportedly investigating a hacking campaign that steals login credentials from people playing its games. According TechCrunch, bad actors have successfully installed malware on victims' computers and used their access to steal logins to their gaming accounts and even their crypto wallets. Citing an anonymous source, the publication reported that the video game publisher has been helping victims remove the malware and regain control of their accounts, but that there is not enough information yet to say how the malware is spreading.
However, an Activision spokesperson denied that the company is helping to remove the malware and stated that the problem is with third-party software providers and not with Activision's software or platforms. TechCrunch The source said the malware “could only be affecting people who have third-party tools installed,” hinting that people are getting it from software not developed by Activision that is typically used with its games.
Activision spokesperson Delaney Simmons told the publication that the company is aware of “claims that some gamer credentials across the industry could be compromised by malware stemming from downloading or using unauthorized software.” She added that the company's servers “remain secure and risk-free.”
A third-party origin is certainly a plausible theory, as the hacking scheme appears to have been discovered by someone known as Zeebler, who develops cheat software for Obligations. Zeebler said TechCrunch who discovered the campaign when one of their clients had their software account stolen. Upon investigation, he allegedly discovered a database containing stolen credentials. He also said that the malware is disguised to look like real software, but in reality they were designed to steal the usernames and passwords that victims enter. Presumably, Zeebler is talking about third-party tools, like cheat software, that are cloned to harvest people's logins, but phishing schemes that use The official Activision login layout also exists. The bottom line is that people should be careful what they download and always check if the login page they are typing on is the real one.
Update, March 30, 2024, 5:20 pm ET: This story has been updated to include new information from Activision.
