Fortnite is a true global phenomenon. The popular online game is played by over 80 million people and enjoys a reach so wide that it has also creeped into regular popular culture. You’ll see kids on every street wearing Fortnite T-shirts and hoodies, and you’ll also see major sports stars celebrating their wins and goals with celebrations taken directly from the game. Even Netflix pegs Fortnite as their greatest competition.
As fun as it all is, we have to remember everything that is online is vulnerable to exploitation. Also, anything as popular as Fortnite is likely to me a magnet for attention from all the wrong people. Hackers and cyber-criminals will see Fortnite as a cash cow and target Fortnite players, often young children. This has already started happening.
This Fortnite vulnerability left players vulnerable to invasion of privacy
Researchers at Security consultant firm Check Point recently discovered a Fortnite vulnerability that allowed hackers to steal Fortnite’s virtual currency and even read private conversations online. According to Check Point the vulnerability wasn’t too complicated and was easy to exploit. All they had to do was send a malicious link to the Fortnite player over social media. Once clicked, the link would register the player’s Fortnite authentication token allowing access to their account without the need to enter their login details.
The high numbers of young children playing Fortnite makes this vulnerability all the more shocking. Oded Vanuu, who is the head of products vulnerability research at Check Point, said, “Fortnite is one of the most popular games played mainly by kids. These flaws provided the ability for a massive invasion of privacy.” Children are more vulnerable to further exploitation since the malicious link also asks questions relating to their account, including any financial information that might be connected to the account. They’re much less likely to be able to spot something out of the ordinary, meaning they’re more likely to hand over the information.
The key here is that, essentially, the vulnerability relies on unsuspecting users falling for a phishing attack. The malicious link is presented as a legitimate communication from Epic Games and the victims believe it. It is always very important to think carefully when you are contacted and asked to click links or hand over your details. For more information on avoiding these types of scams follow our tutorial on how to detect fake or scam emails, websites, and social media posts. Another key way to protect yourself from these types of scams on Fortnite is to turn on two-factor authentication for your account.
How to detect scam emails
Find out nowFortunately, Check Point reported this bug to Epic Games, and it was fixed last month. This doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t other vulnerabilities out there and that you can now let your guard down. On the contrary, this bug only indicates that it is more important than ever to remain vigilant when you’re doing anything online.
