Hackers exploit hacker-themed game Watch Dogs for bitcoins

In a twist of irony, a hacker-oriented computer video game—or at least its pirated version—is being used as a vehicle to hack into players' virtual currencies.

 

Players downloading the pirated torrent version of "Watch Dogs" risk getting a malware that mines the virtual currency Bitcoin, gaming site GameCrastinate.com reported.

 

"Well, the latest trend in viruses is secret Bitcoin miners, and it seems that somebody jumped on the Watch Dogs hype-train to make some quick coin. It feels almost fitting considering the theme of the game, though the irony is probably not as entertaining if you’ve fallen victim to the hack," it said.

 

Ubisoft, the game's developer, claimed "Watch Dogs" is the fastest-selling game in the firm's history.

 

"In its first 24 hours of availability, Watch Dogs sold more copies than any previous title in Ubisoft’s history!" Ubisoft communications manager Gary Steinman said.

 

"Watch Dogs" centers on "brilliant hacker" Aiden Pearce, who suffers a family tragedy and is seeking justice.

 

In the game, Pearce can hack into electronic devices tied to Chicago's central operating system and " literally turn the entire city – traffic lights, security cameras, cell phones, more – into a weapon or tool."

 

The GameCrastinate.com report said other possible side effects of downloading and running the pirated version include PC instability, Blue Screen crashes, and additional power consumption.

 

However, it also said that with torrent communities being good at "weeding out the bad apples quickly," it is likely that the "more trusted torrent sites have already removed these torrents from the rotation."

 

A separate article on TomsGuide.com noted Bitcoin is a "digital cryptocurrency that users earn by volunteering their computers for complex calculations that benefit the currency's ecosystem."

 

Currently, it said a single Bitcoin is worth about $561.

 

"In theory, a moderately powerful gaming rig could generate a Bitcoin in 100 days — provided that the machine ran with absolutely no other functions for 24 hours per day with a stellar Internet connection and no overheating. Hundreds of gaming rigs tied together by malware into a botnet, however, could generate bitcoins considerably more quickly," it said.

 

Thus, it said mining software attached to a demanding game such as "Watch Dogs" is "clever idea" as a fleet of gaming rigs in tandem "could generate Bitcoins fairly quickly and without much effort on the original hacker's part." — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News