Activision Blizzard Twitter Account Hacked in Solana Crypto Scam
Gaming giant Activision Blizzard faced a security breach Thursday night when its official Twitter account was compromised and used to promote a Solana-based cryptocurrency scam.
The hack targeted the Twitter account, which boasts millions of followers and represents the publisher of popular franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo. Exploiting the account’s reach, the hackers shared misleading information about a supposed token launch called ATVI, purportedly created in partnership with Solana Labs, the main development team behind the Solana network.
The tweets, which have since been removed, featured an image of the iconic gaming character Crash Bandicoot, owned by Activision Blizzard, and directed users to a URL promoting a Solana meme coin available for trading on decentralized exchanges.
Despite attempts to pass off ATVI as an official token affiliated with Activision Blizzard and Solana Labs, investigations reveal no connection between the gaming company and the cryptocurrency. Meme coins, which often draw inspiration from internet trends and public figures, can be deployed by anyone on decentralized networks like Solana.
The fraudulent scheme appears to have had limited success, with the token witnessing minimal trading activity totalling $16,000 across fewer than 500 transactions. Moreover, its value plummeted by 99.9% shortly after a brief surge on Thursday, rendering it virtually worthless.
In response to the incident, the compromised Twitter account issued a statement acknowledging the breach and reassured followers that security measures were being reinforced to prevent future breaches.
Activision declined to provide further details beyond the official statement. The company, known for its blockbuster gaming titles, was acquired by tech giant Microsoft last year for nearly $69 billion.
Meme coins have gained popularity on the Solana network due to its low transaction fees. Solana-based meme coins like Dogwifhat (WIF) and Bonk (BONK) have emerged as top cryptocurrencies by market cap. Recent trends in Solana meme coins have seen variations of politicians’ names and other viral themes.
