Fortnite cheaters have unwittingly installed malware on their PCs - justice is swift

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That's karma for you

"Get your Fortnite aimbot here! Take out enemies with ease and precision to become the new record holder for solo kills!"

"Free V-Bucks here! Come get your free V-Bucks!"

Sound too good to be true? That's probably because it is. But that hasn't stopped tens of thousands of Fortnite players from installing various hacks, mods, and exploits in the hopes of gitting gud. This week, one particular piece of cheat software was found to have been downloaded more than 78,000 times. What's more, it was also found to be installing malicious adware onto the PCs of those who used it.

Rainway downloaded hundreds of cheating software packages, using a custom filter to figure out if any of them were the one causing error reports. While all of the programs were found to be malicious (yes, all of them), it wasn't until several hours later that the culprit was found. Rainway has since contacted the file host and the download has been removed, though not before being downloaded 78,000 times.

You may be thinking, "Pfft, adware. So what? I block all my ads anyway." Well, not only did this cheat install adware (which could circumvent your standard blocking), but it also created what's called a "man-in-the-middle" attack. Basically, a MitM attack inserts an unknown third-party into a two-way communication - this third-party can then intercept and read data sent between the two primary parties and steal confidential information to use in phishing or outright identity theft. And if the adware itself doesn't do that, it at the very least creates a vulnerable spot that other, even more malicious programs can take advantage of.

In short, don't try to cheat, at Fortnite or any other online game. At best you'll download software that doesn't work, and at worst you'll open up your PC to all sorts of horrible crap. Instead of Fortnite cheats, try following some of our Fortnite tips - and I promise, practice and legitimate skill will feel better anyway.

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Sam Prell
Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.