The finals of the North American division of the popular e-sports discipline Apex Legends were disrupted by a massive hack, raising serious security questions. Unknown attackers introduced cheat programs to the computers of professional players, including AIMBOTS for automatic guidance of the sight and VALHAKI for viewing opponents through barriers, during the final matches of the tournament. The situation escalated when one player was blocked for using the Aimbot cheat before organizers decided to suspend all competitions.
Following the incident, rumors began circulating about possible large-scale hacking of APEX Legends security systems, impacting not only the e-sports community but also the entire game audience. Players reported detecting viruses on their computers after scans, but there is no confirmation linking this directly to the hack.
The identity of the hacker responsible for the attack is currently unknown. Speculation points to the involvement of Destroyer2009, a hacker who previously targeted APEX Legends e-sports players. Unconfirmed reports suggest the attacker exploited a vulnerability to implant malware on tournament players’ computers.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the incident, Respawn and EA, the game’s publisher, have refrained from issuing official statements, opting to transfer finals quietly. Influential streamers have advised against launching APEX Legends until the issue is resolved, though no widespread calls for uninstalling the game have been made.
The infiltration of cheat programs into the accounts of professional e-sports players to disrupt a major tournament and subsequent player bans transcends typical gaming cheats. Respawn developers must thoroughly investigate the root causes of the incident and promptly announce specific measures to restore security and address the current situation.
The recent dismissal of 23 Respawn employees, including APEX Legends developers, adds to the alarm and suggests a need to bolster the game’s security team going forward.