Yes—during Valorant’s 2020 closed beta, files advertised as beta-key generators were reported to be malware. CyberScoop said the programs acted as stealers and downloaded a second-stage keylogger capable of recording usernames, passwords and other text typed by victims. The report did not establish how many people were infected.
What happened with the fake Valorant keys?
CyberScoop reported on April 15, 2020, that attackers were circulating fake Valorant beta-key generators. The files were presented as tools that would produce a license key and unlock access, but they did not provide legitimate beta access. Instead, the generator included stealer functionality and retrieved an additional keylogger.
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Valorant was in a closed beta, making access unusually scarce. Riot Games said in 2020 that it had increased server loads by 25% to handle demand. CyberScoop also reported, citing The Verge, that 200,000 viewers watched a livestream where new keys were distributed. Those conditions created a strong incentive for people to download unofficial “key” tools.
What did the malware do?
A stealer disguised as a key generator
The initial program was not a harmless code generator. It was described as a stealer, meaning its purpose was to obtain information from the infected computer rather than issue a valid Riot Games key.
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- UNLOCK A UNIVERSE OF EXPERIENCES and compete with a global community of millions across multiple battlefields with Riot Games
- Unlocks in-game currency that can be used to purchase in-game items
- Redeemable in VALORANT, League of Legends, Wild Rift, Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and 2XKO
- PC, mobile, console… it all works. Just enter your code at shop.riotgames.com/redeem and choose the game you want to use this virtual currency for
- This code is only redeemable on Riot Accounts in North America and Canada
A second-stage keylogger
The program reportedly fetched a keylogger from a Pastebin page. A keylogger can capture words and phrases as they are typed, including account usernames and passwords. That creates risk for gaming accounts, email, social-media profiles and any other service used on the infected device.
Sophos threat researcher Albert Zsigovits described the operation on April 15, 2020: “Fake #RiotGames #Valorant game-key generators being distributed. It’s actually a stealer, stub grabs a 2nd stage keylogger from pastebin.”
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- Unlocks in-game currency that can be used to purchase in-game items
- Redeemable in VALORANT, League of Legends, Wild Rift, Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and 2XKO
- PC, mobile, console… it all works. Just enter your code at shop.riotgames.com/redeem and choose the game you want to use this virtual currency for
- This code is only redeemable on Riot Accounts in North America and Canada
How was the download presented?
CyberScoop said the attackers apparently used a known malicious Pastebin page to deliver the second stage. Kaspersky reportedly flagged the page as malware in VirusTotal, and MalSilo also flagged the URL. CyberScoop noted that most security companies classified it as clean at the time, illustrating why a single scan result was not proof that the download was safe.
Are Valorant beta keys real?
Legitimate Valorant access existed during the 2020 closed beta, but a file claiming to generate a key was not therefore legitimate. Access distributions and codes came through Riot’s official channels and authorized promotions; an unofficial executable promising to manufacture a key should be treated as a malware risk, not as a shortcut.
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- UNLOCK A UNIVERSE OF EXPERIENCES and compete with a global community of millions across multiple battlefields with Riot Games
- Unlocks in-game currency that can be used to purchase in-game items
- Redeemable in VALORANT, League of Legends, Wild Rift, Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and 2XKO
- PC, mobile, console… it all works. Just enter your code at shop.riotgames.com/redeem and choose the game you want to use this virtual currency for
- This code is only redeemable on Riot Accounts in North America and Canada
The contemporaneous report did not identify the attackers, confirm a victim count or provide a later campaign update. It also did not establish when the malicious tool was first launched.
How to judge a “key generator” safely
- Do not run executable files that promise to create, unlock or validate a game key.
- Prefer access instructions published through Riot Games or another clearly authorized distributor.
- Treat links from random videos, file-hosting pages, forums and Pastebin-style posts as untrusted unless independently verified.
- Do not enter your Riot, email or other credentials into a tool claiming it must “verify” your key.
- Do not assume a clean result from one antivirus scanner proves safety; the CyberScoop account described conflicting detections.
What to do if you ran the generator
Because the reported payload included a keylogger, respond as though credentials typed on that computer may have been exposed. The following is defensive guidance based on the malware behavior, not a test reported by CyberScoop.
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- UNLOCK A UNIVERSE OF EXPERIENCES and compete with a global community of millions across multiple battlefields with Riot Games
- Unlocks in-game currency that can be used to purchase in-game items
- Redeemable in League of Legends, Valorant, Wild Rift, Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and 2XKO
- PC, mobile, console… it all works. Just enter your code at shop.riotgames.com/redeem and choose the game you want to use this virtual currency for
- This code is only redeemable on Riot Accounts in North America and Canada
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- Unlocks in-game currency that can be used to purchase in-game items
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- PC, mobile, console… it all works. Just enter your code at shop.riotgames.com/redeem and choose the game you want to use this virtual currency for
- This code is only redeemable on Riot Accounts in North America and Canada
- Disconnect the computer from the internet to limit further communication from the malware.
- From a separate, trusted device, change passwords for your Riot account, email and any other accounts used on the affected computer. Start with email because it can be used to reset other accounts.
- Enable multifactor authentication wherever it is available and review account sessions, recovery addresses and recent sign-ins.
- Run a reputable, fully updated malware scan. If the device shows continuing suspicious behavior or the scanner cannot establish that it is clean, back up essential personal files and reinstall the operating system from trusted media.
- After recovery, change any passwords that were entered before the machine was rebuilt or confirmed clean.
What the report does—and does not—show
- Established: fake Valorant beta-key generators were distributed in April 2020; the reported tool acted as a stealer and downloaded a keylogger.
- Not established: the number of victims, the identity of the attackers, the tool’s initial launch date or a later campaign outcome.
- Important limitation: the 25% server-load increase and 200,000 livestream viewers are 2020 figures attributed respectively to Riot Games and The Verge, as reported by CyberScoop; they are not current measurements.
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