The warning in this headline refers to a July 2018 incident, not evidence of a new Fortnite infection campaign. Rainway reported that an unofficial cheat advertised as a source of free V-Bucks and an aimbot installed a root certificate and changed Windows proxy settings, creating the potential to intercept web traffic. The report concerned a third-party download—not the official Fortnite client—and did not establish that every downloader had their passwords or payment details stolen.
What happened in the Fortnite cheat incident?
In a report published July 4, 2018, BGR relayed an account from Rainway’s engineering team. Rainway said it investigated a spike in error reports, found Fortnite was a common factor, and examined hacks promoted in YouTube tutorials. One program claimed to offer free V-Bucks and an aimbot. When Rainway’s engineers ran it in a virtual machine, they found that it installed a root certificate and changed Windows to route web traffic through a proxy. Rainway characterized the behavior as a man-in-the-middle attack. BGR’s July 4, 2018 report said the file had been downloaded more than 78,000 times before the file host removed it.
Those were reported downloads, not a verified count of infected computers or victims. The account establishes dangerous system changes and the potential for interception; it does not establish that the cheat worked, that every copy behaved identically, or that every user’s credentials were stolen. The original Rainway post is no longer available at its former address, which now redirects to the former Rainway blog URL.
Why were the certificate and proxy changes dangerous?
A root certificate is part of the system’s trust model: it tells Windows which certificate authorities to trust when websites establish secure connections. Software that installs an unauthorized root certificate may be able to make Windows trust certificates used by an interceptor. A proxy can then place software between the computer and websites. Together, those changes can enable the proxy to inspect or manipulate some web traffic that a user expects to be protected.
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In plain terms, the reported chain was: cheat runs → root certificate is added → Windows traffic is routed through a proxy → interception may become possible. The risk was not confined to Fortnite. Depending on how the program worked and what a user did online, exposed traffic could include account sessions, messages, or other web data. The available report does not confirm theft of particular passwords, payment details, or Fortnite accounts.
Was it a virus, adware, or malware?
BGR described the discovery as adware, while the headline of the linked Rainway post used the word “virus.” The most useful broad term is malware: the reported program made security-sensitive changes to Windows while presenting itself as a game cheat. The available account does not identify it as ransomware, a credential-stealing strain, or a botnet, so those labels should not be inferred.
Why do cheat downloads make effective bait?
Free V-Bucks and an aimbot promise a desirable reward and a competitive advantage. Tutorials, demonstrations, comments, apparent popularity, and step-by-step download instructions can make an unofficial program look credible, even though none proves it is safe. Scarcity claims such as “download before it is taken down” add pressure to act before checking the file.
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- Free premium currency: A promise of free V-Bucks is a lure, not evidence of a legitimate offer.
- Cheats and “undetectable” tools: An aimbot or a promise to avoid bans asks the user to trust an unofficial executable.
- Security workarounds: Instructions to disable antivirus or SmartScreen, run as administrator, or bypass warnings should end the installation attempt.
- System-setting changes: A game cheat has no ordinary reason to ask you to install a trusted root certificate or change proxy, DNS, firewall, or browser settings. A certificate request is especially serious.
- Credential and verification traps: Do not provide Epic credentials, browser cookies, session tokens, or complete surveys and “human verification” steps to unlock a cheat.
- Untrusted downloads: Anonymous upload sites, password-protected archives, and links outside the official game ecosystem provide no assurance about what will run.
A YouTube video or its platform is not proof that a download is infected; the concern is that demonstrations and links can supply distribution and social proof for an unofficial program.
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The following is general defensive guidance, not a recovery procedure supplied by Rainway. If the program ran, treat the PC as potentially compromised until you have checked it. Do not keep testing the app or assume deleting its file reverses changes it made.
1. Isolate the PC and protect accounts
- If the app is running or you suspect active compromise, disconnect the computer from the internet by turning off Wi-Fi or unplugging Ethernet.
- Do not sign in to Fortnite, Epic Games, email, banking, or other sensitive accounts from that PC while it is suspect. If you need a record of the incident, photograph suspicious messages, filenames, certificate details, and proxy settings without continuing to run the program.
- From a separate, trusted device, change the Epic Games password and the password for its associated email account. Enable multifactor authentication where available, and review active sessions, connected apps, and account recovery details.
- If payment information was stored in an affected account, monitor transactions and contact the payment provider if you see suspicious activity.
Changing passwords from the suspect PC is not a safe substitute: if traffic is being intercepted or the computer is otherwise monitored, new credentials could also be exposed. Using a spare game account does not protect other accounts or browser sessions used on the same computer.
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2. Scan and inspect Windows
- Run Microsoft Defender Offline or another reputable offline scan, then run a full scan after Windows restarts. Microsoft describes its built-in Windows protections at Windows Security.
- Review Windows proxy settings and certificate stores for changes you do not recognize. A proxy reset may stop redirection, but it does not prove that malware, an unauthorized certificate, persistence, or stolen session tokens are gone.
- Do not remove every unfamiliar certificate blindly. Corporate security tools, VPNs, parental controls, and device-management software may install legitimate certificates. Check the issuer, installation date, associated software, and whether you or your administrator recognize it.
- Remove suspicious programs or scheduled tasks only when you can identify them confidently. If you cannot verify that the certificate and proxy changes have been safely reversed—or you remain uncertain about the system’s integrity—back up personal files and perform a clean Windows installation.
- After recovery, update Windows, browsers, graphics drivers, and Fortnite through official channels.
An antivirus scan that finds nothing is inconclusive; it does not by itself establish that certificate stores, proxy settings, browser sessions, or accounts are safe. A clean installation is the more reliable recovery choice when compromise remains uncertain.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What if you downloaded it but never opened it?
If the executable truly never ran, the risk is lower than if you launched it. Delete the file and scan the computer rather than opening it to check. If you launched an installer or archive, treat the PC as potentially affected and follow the isolation and account-protection steps above.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWhat this incident does—and does not—show
- It was reported in July 2018; it is not evidence that this specific app is infecting players now.
- The reported program was an unofficial third-party hack. The account does not implicate Epic Games or the official Fortnite client.
- The investigation described one tested program and reported more than 78,000 downloads before removal. The accessible account does not establish how many people ran it or were compromised.
- The report describes interception capability, but does not confirm which credentials or other data, if any, were actually stolen.
- The available account does not provide a complete list of indicators of compromise or identify every copy’s behavior.
The safer rule for Fortnite players
Treat any promise of free premium currency, an “undetectable” cheat, or an exclusive unlock as a malware risk when it requires an unknown executable, weakened security settings, administrator access, or a certificate installation. Do not trade access to your computer and accounts for a shortcut in a game.
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