Fake Valorant Beta-Key Generators Were Malware: What Happened

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During Valorant’s closed beta in April 2020, attackers circulated fake beta-key generators that were malware. The files promised access to Riot Games’ new shooter, but the reported program acted as a stealer and downloaded a second-stage keylogger capable of recording typed usernames and passwords. The incident was reported by CyberScoop on April 15, 2020; the available account does not establish a current campaign, an attacker identity, or how many people were infected.

What the fake Valorant key generator did

CyberScoop reported that the files were presented as licensing-key tools for Valorant’s closed beta. Instead of providing legitimate access, the generator included stealer functionality. Its stub retrieved a second-stage keylogger from Pastebin, allowing the operator to monitor words and phrases typed by a victim, including account usernames and passwords.

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Sophos threat researcher Albert Zsigovits described the files in a tweet 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.”

The report does not say when the malicious tool first appeared, identify its author, confirm a victim count, or document a later campaign update. Riot Games, the developer of Valorant, did not respond to CyberScoop’s request for comment at publication.

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#1 Best Overall

VALORANT USD $25 [Online Game Code]

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

Why the lure worked

Valorant access was limited and demand was unusually high during the closed beta, creating a strong incentive to search for unofficial keys. Riot Games said in 2020 that it had increased server capacity by 25 percent to accommodate demand. CyberScoop also cited The Verge’s 2020 report that 200,000 people had watched a gameplay livestream where new keys were distributed.

Those figures describe the attention surrounding the beta, not the reach of the malware. No reliable number of infections was established in the contemporaneous report.

Rank #2

VALORANT USD $50 [Online Game Code]

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

Are Valorant beta keys and generators real?

Legitimate beta access is controlled by the game’s publisher and its official distribution channels. A downloadable “key generator” from an unofficial site is not evidence that a key is genuine. In this incident, the advertised generator was itself the threat.

Treat unsolicited generators, cracks, and “unlockers” as high-risk downloads.
Do not disable antivirus or Windows protections to make one run.
Do not enter Riot, email, Steam, Discord, or other credentials into a tool claiming to validate a key.
Verify access through Riot’s official account and game services rather than through an executable offered by a third party.

Can a fake key infect a computer?

Yes. The reported Valorant files were executable malware, not merely invalid codes. Running one could install the initial stealer and allow it to fetch the keylogger component. A keylogger can capture credentials as they are typed, even when the victim never intentionally gives those credentials to the fake generator.

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Rank #3

VALORANT USD $100 [Online Game Code]

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

Security detections were inconsistent around the Pastebin page mentioned in the report: Kaspersky reportedly flagged it as malware in VirusTotal, and MalSilo also flagged the URL, while most security companies classified it as clean at that time. A clean or mixed scan result is therefore not proof that an unofficial generator is safe.

What to do if you ran one

Because the reported payload could capture typed credentials, respond as though any password entered after execution may have been exposed. The following is defensive guidance based on that behavior, not a published CyberScoop cleanup test.

Rank #4

VALORANT USD $10 [Online Game Code]

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

Disconnect the device. Remove it from the internet to limit further communication while you assess it.
Use a different, trusted device. From a clean computer or phone, change the password for the email account associated with your gaming account first, then change Riot and other important passwords. Do not reuse the old password.
Revoke active sessions. Sign out other devices and review account-recovery email addresses, phone numbers, and multifactor-authentication settings.
Scan or rebuild the affected computer. Run current security software and follow its quarantine instructions. For a machine used for sensitive accounts, a full operating-system reset or clean rebuild is the most dependable way to remove an unknown keylogger.
Check for fraud. Review email, gaming, payment, and social accounts for password-reset notices, unfamiliar logins, messages, or purchases.
Report the file. Submit the executable and its delivery link to your security provider and the relevant platform, without forwarding it to other people.

What is established—and what is not

Question	What the April 15, 2020 report supports
Was there a real malware lure?	Yes. Fake Valorant beta-key generators were distributed during the closed beta.
What did the payload do?	The reported stealer retrieved a second-stage keylogger that could record typed words, usernames, and passwords.
How many people were infected?	Not established.
Who operated it?	Not established; no confirmed attacker identity was reported.
Is this confirmed as an ongoing campaign?	No. The evidence describes the 2020 incident and provides no later campaign update.
Does a mixed antivirus result prove safety?	No. The Pastebin URL received conflicting detections, with Kaspersky and MalSilo flagging it while most companies reportedly marked it clean at the time.

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How to avoid similar game-key scams

Prefer publisher-controlled access

Use the publisher’s account pages, launcher, and announced promotions. A genuine access grant should not require downloading an unknown executable that generates codes.

Protect credentials independently

Use unique passwords and multifactor authentication for gaming and email accounts. A password manager can help prevent reuse, while a hardware security key can provide stronger phishing resistance where an account supports it. These measures reduce the damage from stolen passwords but do not make an unknown download safe.

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Best Value

League of Legends USD $100 [Online Game Code]

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

Stop when the request is unusual

Requests to turn off antivirus, run as administrator, paste commands, or enter a password into a “generator” are warning signs. Close the page and delete the download instead of testing it on your main computer.