Call of Duty: WWII PC Version Pulled Amid Remote Hacking Fears

A critical Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in Call of Duty: WWII has prompted its removal from digital PC storefronts.

Game removed from PC store after alarming exploits

The PC version of Call of Duty: World War II has been taken offline after players reported a serious vulnerability that allowed hackers to seize control of their machines mid-game. The issue surfaced just days after the 2017 title was added to Xbox’s GamePass lineup on June 30.

By July 5, the official Call of Duty updates account confirmed the game had been pulled from the Microsoft Store, pending investigation. Meanwhile, troubling footage from affected users flooded social media, showing remote command prompts being executed during live multiplayer sessions.

Players report disturbing hacks during matches

Several users documented the hijacking of their PCs in real time. In one case, a player’s screen froze while a Windows command executed silently in the background, ending with a taunting message referencing a Los Angeles law firm. Others described forced shutdowns and graphic desktop image replacements, pointing to deeper malicious access.

Although these scenarios are usually limited to in-game cheating, this time it crossed borders, turning into fully-fledged remote code execution (RCE), a serious security breach that allows attackers near-total control of target systems.

Outdated networking structure blamed

Cybersecurity experts suggest the issue stems from the game’s shift from dedicated servers to peer-to-peer (P2P) hosting.

Such transitions, typically associated with aging titles, often leave users vulnerable, as hosting responsibilities fall to the machines of individual players.

This peer-based design, while cost-effective for publishers, is easily exploited by attackers, especially in games with known vulnerabilities.

Players have long been wary of older Call of Duty titles on PC, many of which have become hotbeds for cheaters and modders.

Developers’ silence raises concerns

Currently, Activision has not indicated whether these hacks directly prompted the offline status. The company has remained silent since a general maintenance update on July 2, which affected multiple titles.

With no timeline for a fix, affected players are left wondering whether their favorite World War II shooter is safe to launch again or if they should uninstall it.

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