On March 18th, 2024, Apex Legends was a victim of one of the biggest hacking incidents. The Apex Legends Global Series ALGS is one of the most hyped highlights of Apex Legends. Millions of people and players tune in to watch the best players of Apex Legend battle each other for a hefty prize pool. However, the integrity of the annual competition was tainted by a hacking incident. The two professional players, ImperialHal and Genburten, were the hacking events’ targets.
Apex Legends Global Series
ALGS is the pinnacle of Apex Legends. Firstly, players must pass the regional qualifiers, which occur in various continents as Pro Leagues. The most outstanding players from these Pro Leagues then go to the ALGS championship to test their skills and teamwork. ALGS is known for its multi-tiered qualifiers that filter out the best players.
ALGS is a team-based competition where each squad has three players. Each team aims for victory by dominating with strategic coordination. The incentive of ALGS is an attractive, hefty prize pool. These large amounts of money can be life-changing for the winners. Of course, apart from financial rewards, players also get recognition for their exceptional skills and teamwork. Moreover, the players are also honored with the title of best players.
So, the hacking incident disrupted the show’s integrity and was a letdown to all the competitors.
The Incident Unfolds
During the 2024 ALGS competition, the viewers witnessed something that shocked them to their cores. ImperialHal is popular for his aggressive playstyle, and Genburton is a rising star. Both of the players were seen to use wallhacks and aimbots mid-game. As the confusion took over the entire competition, both players realized they could not control their characters. Several actions and information were being displayed without their knowledge.
The chaos was unfolding as everyone realized that some hackers breached their competition. The in-game chat showed a message saying the hack was done by someone named Destroyer 2009. This hacker took control of the player’s accounts on a live global stage. This incident forced tournament management to mitigate the situation immediately.
Unveiling the Mystery: A Web of Speculation
Of course, several questions and theories are arising amidst this incident. Respawn Entertainment hasn’t released an official explanation of how it happened. However, many theories have already emerged from the internet and cybersecurity community.
The most possible and common theory revolves around Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) software. This anti-cheat software is employed by Apex Legends to detect any sort of cheating during game sessions. The theory goes over a Remote Code Execution (RCE) exploit. This exploit allows hackers to inject malicious codes into the target’s system, which allows the hacker to take complete control. Undoubtedly, it raises a huge concern about the effectiveness of EAC. Many players are now questioning Apex Legends’s security.
Another possible way is through phishing scams or malware. These sorts of malware will give hackers access to the player’s account to activate cheat codes. However, this former theory seems more viable than this one.
The Fallout: A Tournament in Disarray
The aftermath of the incident shook the competitors. They took some moments to process everything. At the same time, the tournament admins had to make the tough decision of postponing the match until further notice. The fans and players were left utterly shocked about the incident.
Of course, the trust in ALGS’s security and safeguarding competition is on thin ice now. It also made the players anxious about getting hacked again in the future. On the other hand, the Apex Legends team is in chaos and juncture about elevating their security to prevent future hacks like this.
Respawn Reacts: A Patch in the Works?
Respawn Entertainment immediately released a statement acknowledging the incident and their duty towards the players. They reassured us that they would implement a series of updates to enhance the game’s security. However, the nature of the updates is still not revealed how it will be.
Conclusion
This incident shows that as technology advances, the risk of vulnerabilities like hacking also increases. Developers should take extra measures to create a secure and safe environment in online gaming. It will take some time for Respawn Entertainment to regain players’ trust and conduct ALGS normally.
