A new study by the University of Birmingham has revealed a hidden market worth millions of dollars in software designed to cheat in online video games, which is a cause for concern not only for the gaming industry but also for cybersecurity experts.
According to research, the 80 largest chat websites operating worldwide are earning between $12.8 million and $73.2 million annually. These platforms provide software that gives players an illegal advantage in the game, such as seeing opponents through walls, auto-aiming, and dramatically enhancing character abilities.
Experts say that between 30,000 and 174,000 users purchase these chats each month in North America and Europe alone. This estimate does not include Asia and sources providing free chats, so the actual volume is likely to be much higher.
These cheat programs range in price from a few dollars to over $250, and are offered either as a one-time purchase or on a subscription basis (monthly or 90 days). Game companies deploy advanced anti-cheat systems, security updates, and legal actions to prevent these programs, but cheat creators are also constantly inventing new ways to circumvent the systems.
The study found that game cheating is illegal in some countries, such as China and South Korea, but in most countries it falls into a ‘gray area’, where there are no clear laws against it. In recent years, AI-based ‘mbots’ have gained popularity again, which read scenes that appear on the screen during games and automatically target them.
At the same time, cybercriminal groups are also active in this market, who use the guise of chat software to inject malware into users’ computers and steal personal data.
Researchers have warned that while anti-cheat systems sometimes raise questions about user privacy because they have access to the “kernel level” of a computer, they can also be effective against malware and cyberattacks. “Your laptop may never be as secure as it is when you’re playing Fortnite,” one researcher joked.
This revelation leaves a big question for the gaming community and policymakers, Are stricter global laws needed to stop cheating in online games?
