Activision is reportedly investigating malware that stole its users’ login credentials

Activision is reportedly in the midst of an investigation into a hacking campaign that is stealing login credentials from people who play its games. According to TechCrunch, bad actors successfully install malware on victims’ computers and use their access to steal login credentials for their gaming accounts and even their crypto wallets. Citing an unnamed source, the publication reported that the video game publisher has been helping victims remove the malware and regain control of their accounts, but there is not yet enough information to say how the malware is spreading.

However, an Activision spokesperson denied that the company was helping to remove malware, saying the problem was with third-party software providers, not Activision’s software or platforms. on TechCrunch a source said the malware “can only affect people who have third-party tools installed,” implying that people are getting it from software not developed by Activision and typically used with its games.

Delaney Simmons, a spokesperson for Activision, told the outlet that the company is aware of “allegations that some player credentials in the wider industry may have been compromised by malware from downloading or using unauthorized software.” He added that the company’s servers “remain secure and uncompromised.”

A third-party origin is certainly a plausible theory, given that the hacking scheme appears to have been uncovered by someone known as Zeebler, who develops cheat software for Call of Duty. Ziebler said TechCrunch that he discovered the campaign when one of his clients’ accounts were stolen for his software. After examining it, he discovered a database containing stolen credentials. He also said that the malware is disguised to look like real software, but they are actually designed to steal the usernames and passwords entered by victims. Zeebler is supposedly talking about third-party tools, like phishing software that clones itself to harvest people’s login credentials, but phishing schemes they use Activision’s official login design also exists. The bottom line is that people should be careful what they download and always double-check that the login page they’re entering is the real deal.

Update, March 30, 2024, 5:20 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include new information from Activision.