Hackers target Call of Duty players with self-spreading virus

Hackers infected Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) with a worm
The game was brought offline as the company investigates malware reports
Game users suggested players run an antivirus on systems to combat worm

Updated: Jul 27, 2023 / 11:25 AM CDT

LAS VEGAS – NOVEMBER 10: Advertisements for the highly anticipated video game “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” are displayed at a GameStop Corp. store early November 10, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Video game publisher Activision Blizzard Inc. planned to release the sixth installment in the “Call of Duty” franchise at midnight in 10,000 stores in the United States. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

CHICAGO (NewsNation) — Activision has disabled multiplayer on one of its older Call of Duty games as it investigates reports of a virus, according to the Call of Duty Updates Twitter.

The video game publishing company disabled 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer function from Steam, a video game digital distribution website, on Wednesday after receiving multiple reports of a malware issue.

Hackers used a worm — a virus that uses a series of text strings — that spreads automatically throughout online lobbies, according to a report by TechCrunch.

In an online chatroom, players who have claimed to analyze the malware suggested that users run an antivirus on their computers to try to combat the worm.

Activision spokesperson Neil Wood acknowledged the malware, pointing TechCrunch to the tweet posted on the COD Updates account.

While the game was released in 2009, it still has a small online community of players unable to access its multiplayer features.

The malware issue has yet to be resolved.