The recent incident during the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) regional finals in North America has sent shockwaves through the gaming community. Two players, DarkZero’s GenBurten and TSM’s ImperialHal, were hacked mid-game over the weekend. GenBurten suddenly gained the ability to see enemy players through walls, while ImperialHal unintentionally started aimbotting. Both players were clearly surprised and distressed by the situation, with ImperialHal exclaiming, “I’m cheating! I’m cheating! I’m cheating!” and GenBurten seeing a message scroll across his screen indicating “Apex hacking global series by Destroyer2009 & R4ndom.”
The Role of Anti-Cheat Software
Ironically, it seems that Apex Legends’ own anti-cheat software may have been the cause of the issue. The volunteer organization, Anti-Cheat Police Department, suspects that hackers used remote code execution (RCE) to inject cheats into the players’ PCs through Apex’s Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC). This exploit not only compromised the competitive integrity of the ALGS but also raised concerns about other malicious activities, such as remote installation of ransomware and other harmful software on competitors’ machines.
Repercussions of the Incident
In response to the incident, the Apex Legends developer, Respawn Entertainment, announced the postponement of the North American regional finals. The decision was made to ensure the fairness and security of the competition. The Anti-Cheat Police Department advised players to take precautions, such as changing account passwords and reinstalling their operating systems, to protect their personal information from potential hacks.
The hacking incident during the ALGS regional finals has brought to light the vulnerabilities of competitive gaming events and the importance of robust anti-cheat measures. Players and organizers must work together to enhance security protocols and prevent such breaches in the future. The incident serves as a cautionary tale for the esports community, prompting a reevaluation of existing security practices to safeguard the integrity of competitive events.
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